Cauchemar Vivant
by Lunar Siren
Summary: Vampires have taken over Seattle, their reign of terror reaching far and wide. Bella Swan was taught all her life never to trust a vampire. What happens when her greatest chance of taking back Washington is found in a vampire? AU ExB
1. Fuite

**Stephenie Meyer owns The Twilight Saga  
I'm only playing with her characters.**

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_Welcome to my newest fic that isn't a one-shot! The summary might seem a little choppy but what're you gonna do with 255 characters, am I right?  
Plus, the plot of the story basically tells itself in this first chapter._  
_This is a story with guns, action, and killing. All the good stuff.  
__There will be blood (and I might drink your milkshake, if you get the reference)._

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A knock came from the front door. Charlie jumped up from the chair while I muted the television. His hand went for the pistol at the base of his spine as he approached the door, sounding normal as ever as he called out, "I'm coming, hold your horses!" My left hand slid in the crack the cushions made to curl around the pistol concealed there, ready to hit the safety and pull it at any second.

Charlie peered through the peephole, stepped back, and opened the door just enough to let a plump woman inside. Charlie slammed the door once she cleared the threshold.

"God, Sue, you scared us," Charlie complained while he relocked the door. "I thought we agreed on a special knock."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I couldn't remember it with the Bloodmobile so close," she replied, tucking her graying hair behind her ear.

"It's already out there? I thought we might've had more time to prepare."

She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You can only do so much, Charlie. Don't push yourself."

She was right, Charlie was doing way too much that sometimes he barely got two hours of sleep. Since Harry Clearwater's death—_they_ said it was a heart attack, we say they killed him when they caught him—my dad had taken on the responsibility of leading the resistance.

Everyone needed him for something at all times of the day, I was surprised he hadn't split himself into hundreds of pieces. He had to keep everything covered; he didn't want to disappoint Harry by losing a single inch of ground. We needed all the defense we could get against them.

Who are they? The most despicable creatures on earth. Vampires.

Forks, Washington used to be a good place. People were friendly, great scenery for tourists—everyone lived their lives peacefully. At least, those were the fairytales I heard. Vampires rose to dominance in Forks before I was born, but Charlie always told me stories about how much fun it was to hike in the woods without fear of being killed.

My mother, Renee, used to live in Forks, but she ran off in the middle of the night when she found out she was pregnant with me. Two months later the vampires came out to the public of Forks, Seattle and Port Angeles—nowhere else. In everyone else's world vampires are just myth.

They're the lucky ones.

Once vampires became public knowledge the death toll spiked. People wanted to kill them to protect their families, but they had armies, and they are stronger and faster than humans so they fought back in full force. Before long, humans became a minority, slaves to the vampires. We all worked for the vamps in this town. Renee had no idea what she was sending me into; she thought it was still safe, sleepy Forks. She didn't know it turned into a battlefield.

When I showed up on Charlie's doorstep he wanted me to go home to Renee, but word had traveled quickly about my arrival. Someone from the vamp side showed up and marked me that night. Every human who lived in Forks had the mark—an elegant V tattooed on the back of our necks. I was stuck in Forks forever.

I pulled my hand out from between the cushions as Charlie and Sue came back into the living room. She gave me a weary smile and I returned it with the same enthusiasm. Tonight may have been important but it was also the night we all dreaded. It was a breakout night, the very first under Charlie's command.

After the last failure, some time before Harry's leadership, they were scheduled every few years to prevent damage to our numbers. Members of the resistance were caught and tortured for months until they were returned to their families as empty shells. Those gruesome stories always ended in suicide.

Our last breakout was two years ago, a failed attempt that lost us fourteen people. The vampires knew what they were doing and caught key members; it was a huge hit to our morale. Charlie spent his time carefully planning the quickest escape. He thought he might have found the problem. This time we weren't going north for a connection in Port Angeles. Charlie wanted to confuse the vampires by fleeing straight south, into Oregon. We would meet at a secret rendezvous to fly from Oregon to California, where the sun would keep us safe. He guaranteed as long as we stayed well defended at night and moved in the sunlight we had a chance.

A very, very small chance.

"Turn up the game, would you, sport?" Charlie asked as we listened to the familiar rumble of the Bloodmobile's engine. I hit the volume of the TV playing a pre-recorded football game, straining to hear where the car was going.

Breakouts were always scheduled on donation days. Calling it a "donation" was a lie, they took however much blood they wanted, but it made it sound nice to the visitors who didn't know. We chose these days because the majority of vampires were at their main compound awaiting the Bloodmobile's return with its fresh stock of blood. Without them patrolling the streets we were free to run.

"Who do you think will win?" he asked with fake enthusiasm. The engine cut off two houses away. It wouldn't be long.

"The orange guys," I answered, nervously adjusting the shoulder strap of my holster. It was custom made to fit me like a glove and hold my gun securely, but I couldn't help touching it when I was nervous. "They've had a good season so far."

He scoffed as noise picked up outside; fists pounding on wood, arguments. "You might have them confused for someone else. They have yet to win a game." Doors slammed. He nodded. Sue and I moved to the kitchen, closer to the basement.

"Whatever. Hey Dad, want another beer?" I called, opening the fridge. Sue pulled out the container of bleach from the empty racks and skillfully spread it on the floor, covering our scent. It would follow us into the basement and confuse their sense of smell.

"Sure, kiddo, that'd be great." Right on cue the fists were on our door. "Hold on, there's someone at the door." As if he didn't know who it was.

Sue and I were already quietly moving down the basement stairs, door barred behind us; it wouldn't keep them out but it would slow them down. There would be two vamps at the door but Charlie was sure he could handle them; as long as we used the passageway to the sewers he was happy. His plan was to kill the vamps and steal the Bloodmobile, picking up the few humans who couldn't get out on his way out of town. The Bloodmobile was an ambulance—he could move quickly.

Sue, on the other hand, could not. She was getting on in years, she'd already had two surgeries for her bad hip, and we were going to be stuck in the dark for a while. Flashlights or not, she would slow me down. We were set to separate at the first fork, where she would go left and meet up with her kids, but I was worried for her. She was like a mother to me in this demented place, if anything happened to her I would blame myself. I didn't think she even had a gun on her.

Footsteps pounded above in a normal rhythm just as we found the ancient bookcase blocking the tunnel. The tunnel had once been a bomb shelter until Harry and Charlie found out it was next door to the sewers; they converted it so it connected for an escape route, in case of emergencies. My scrawny muscles slowly moved it out of the way to reveal the dank dome corridor beyond. We reached the large steel door at the same time a gunshot went off. Sue watched my back as I fiddled with the combination on the lock, nearly forgetting the numbers in my panic, and yanked the door open. I snatched my flashlight back from her, drew my gun, and started into the sewer.

A crack rang down the corridor. Sue pushed me forward when I stopped, ready to turn and fire. They only broke through the basement door. I couldn't even see them but I was willing to shoot.

"Don't stop!" she whispered. "Don't stop for anything!"

"They're breaking through already!" I whisper-screamed.

"Well what are you waiting for? Get running."

"I'm not leaving you behind!"

"My children are waiting just up ahead, I'll be fine. You stay on your path. Go—now!" She pushed me again, roughly, propelling me forward at a dead run.

If their already moving on us, what did that mean for Charlie? Was he okay? They could easily—no, don't think about it, just run. Run like Charlie wanted.

My feet sloshed, my eyes and lungs burned, but I couldn't stop my legs if I tried; it was drilled into my head from a young age how to survive here. There was no screaming behind me yet, but Sue didn't seem like the type.

Subconsciously I knew they were behind me, tracking me by the noise I made, watching my light bounce on the tunnel walls. We chose the sewers for a reason. Not because of the handy tunnel hidden in the house—we were originally going to use it as a decoy—but because the vampires were crippled down here. They could see better in the dark but the sludge would slow them down, the stench would cover me, and by the way sound carries if they made a noise I would know. I wasn't sure if I could pull a trigger faster than they could move, but I would try.

I came to the first fork and made my way down the right side. There was another fork ahead that I had to take left then I was on the homestretch to my rendezvous. Mike Newton, who was skilled in the art of dangerous driving, was waiting with two others and would drive us towards Oregon. I couldn't wait for my first taste of freedom in nine years. Even high school would be welcome in my world, as long as there were no vampires.

After the second turn I slowed to take in a sickening lungful of the damp air, wiping the sweat off my forehead. If they were pursuing they would have caught up by now. They weren't that slow. When I had enough breath, I continued at a brisk walk, listening to every slosh my feet made, every drop of water hit the sludge. Just because they weren't here now didn't mean they wouldn't show up. They knew I was here. They heard me in the house, and no way would they mistake Sue for me. Unless we had a lucky night and amateurs came to our door.

I cut off my light, conserving battery life. The service lights were bright enough in this area that I could walk comfortably—well, as comfortably as possible with my boots filled with raw sewage.

_Think happy thoughts. I'll get a change of clothes, and shoes, when I meet up with Mike._ No shower until roughly four hours later when we stopped in Rainier just passed the state line. Four hours smelling like an outhouse was nothing when freedom was that close.

A heavy scrape made my steps falter. They were moving a manhole cover. They knew exactly where I was going.

I hit the safety on my pistol as I ran. Bodies dropped into the sludge behind me—two of them, by the sounds of it, which was no surprise since they often traveled in pairs. I begged my aching legs not to give. They were picking up speed but my exit was just up ahead. I saw the glaring red paint smeared on the brick, exactly where I marked it last week in preparation of tonight.

Climbing was going to slow me down, but I'd already dropped my flashlight, left hand cramped around my gun; I could climb and shoot to ward them off. The rendezvous point was just beyond the line of trees above ground. I made it to the ladder, braced my foot on the last rung and pushed, jumping to catch the highest I could reach. A hand caught my leg and pulled me down. My jaw caught on the steel so hard my teeth clicked together, my head ringing.

I was tossed onto my back in the sludge with two shadowy figures above me. My hand instinctively flew out and shot one in the chest; he staggered back but his friend wasn't happy. The wild-haired one leapt on me. I held out my foot and used her momentum to fling her over my head; she landed with a meaty squish in the distance.

The man had noticed my bullet didn't kill him but it was too late. I was already on my feet. He was heads taller than me but range makes up for it easily. I fired at the back of his skull and, turning to intercept my attack, it luckily caught him in the temple. With wide eyes he dropped face first into the sewage and I climbed over his body, watching for the woman.

There was no movement. I had to hurry before the man's body healed itself—bullets never killed vampires. I scrambled up the ladder, holstered my gun to move the lid, and jumped into the crisp night air.

My muscles were at their breaking point. I saw Mike's familiar form propped against a tree near the streetlight. I could feel him watching me, knew his gun was at his side having heard my struggle. Squishy noises came from the tunnel and I pulled my legs out of the hole in time avoid the woman as she barreled up the ladder.

Mike was instantly at my side to pull me to my feet. She charged at Mike so I had enough time to pull my gun free. I couldn't get a bead with the way she moved—all that vampiric feline grace and footwork that suggested she was a dancer sometime in her life—and I didn't want to hit Mike. I had to wait until she slowed down.

She grabbed him around the neck, slammed him onto the concrete. I thought I heard his skull crack until I noticed his hand coated in red; he sunk a knife between her ribs, trying to get her heart, and she screamed with pain and terror.

"Now!" he shouted over her screeching. He held her down as she twisted. She was only driving the blade further.

I raised my gun with exhausted muscles, a fine trembling running through my arms, and fired at her head. The kick was stronger than usual; my shot went wide. I fixed my grip and steeled my nerves, focusing on the flesh just between her eyes and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered onto Mike's face as he wrenched the blade through her chest; it was long enough that the tip stuck out her back.

He pulled the blade free when she stopped moving, happy to see her chest ravaged, and set it against her neck, dragging it back in a sharp motion. I flinched and turned my back at the sound of her head detaching from her body. Well, at least that makes one less vamp.

"Do we have to clean up the mess?" I mumbled as I slid my gun back into its holster.

"There's another in the sewers, isn't there?" he asked.

"Incapacitated."

"Figures. You're a wicked shot but regular ammo does nothing against these beasts."

"Well it's not like their affected by holy water. It'd be nice if that sewer was full of it. Have you smelled me recently?"

"You smell like a bed of roses to me. Come on, we have to get moving before her partner decides to wake up and take revenge." He slid the small sword into a sheath on his hip as he went towards the tree line. I covered the manhole before joining him.

Hiding in the trees was Mike's black SUV, Tyler Crowley, and Sue's youngest child Seth. It was surprising to see him here since he was supposed to wait for his mom with Leah. I ran up to him, trying to hold back my panic.

"What happened? Is Sue okay?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I guess so. Sam showed up to help your dad and brought her through looking a little beat up. He told me to head out with you guys, and to tell you your dad made it out without a scratch."

I smiled with relief. Yeah, my dad was hardcore like that. "Thanks, Seth."

Without another word we climbed into the hulking vehicle. I got shotgun because I called it two nights ago and no one was going to argue now. Seth passed me a box of baby wipes and a plastic grocery store bag with my change of clothes. I gratefully accepted the gifts and stripped while Mike got us on the road. Was I worried, or nervous, about being half naked in front of three guys? Nope. We'd all been friends since childhood, often thrown together in the bathtub as kids, and we were all in survival mode. They were too busy watching for incoming attacks to even think about a girl covered in crap trying to make herself decent.

As I vigorously scrubbed with the wipes, I caught sight of the clock. One-thirty in the morning. Only twenty minutes had passed. I seriously had someone to thank for creating short tunnels.

In twenty minutes, the exact estimated time, over a hundred people should have been moved from Forks. Unfortunately we couldn't take everyone in a single night, but if we survived, whoever was left behind had hope of getting out, as well. Idly I wondered if anyone else got a kill tonight. Getting deadlier weapons was definitely top priority on our list. They could be incapacitated by normal bullets if shot near the heart or in the head, but short of cutting off their head, we had no good ways to kill vampires. It was only one step on our way because we certainly weren't done. We weren't running from Forks just to get out and abandon everyone—oh no, we were coming back for sure.

We planned to take back our town.


	2. Highway chases aren't fun in real life

**Stephenie Meyer owns _The Twilight Saga_. No copyright infringement intended.**

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The trees blurred as the SUV flew down the highway. Mike had been unofficially driving since he was twelve; that kind of experience was what made riding with him exciting and terrifying at the same time. I swear the other cars were driving backwards. We blew past so many vehicles their tail lights eventually blurred together. Mike could stop this car on a dime and take the sharpest turns with ease; I felt safe riding with him.

A half hour into our drive Tyler was snoring behind me. It was okay. Honestly, he had more to do than the rest of us since he played our double agent; his family had sought protection from the vampires and they joined the opposing side. People who were owned by the vampires didn't have to give as much blood at donations but they were expected to give freely at any time and work twice as hard. Poor Tyler had been up since yesterday morning running errands for his "protectors" during daylight hours and paperwork at night.

Unfortunately myths are just that. Sun didn't harm vampires one bit. They never slept, never died, during daylight but if they were caught in the sun they lit up like a beacon. But this was Forks—there was no sun. The vampires could prowl the streets as long as they pleased. No one looked at you funny when you wore long sleeves and jeans; it was usually chilly. But on the rare chance of sunlight, they preferred to hide indoors.

I hoped our time surrounded by indestructible beasts was over. I was getting tired of the short end of the stick—honestly couldn't take another second.

Mike zeroed in on the bumper in front of us, unable to pass with the car next to us blocking the way. The car in front was barely doing fifty-five! Didn't these people realize we were trying to save ourselves? Of course not! The Montana license plate mocked us. They weren't aware of the beasts; they were from lucky Montana.

Mike rode on the bumper. "Move it already," he growled.

"Careful, he probably saw how quick you came up and will try break check you." It happened before.

"Think so? He can try it, but if he doesn't do it soon then we're going over him."

"Relax, Mike," I yawned. "They might be fast but I doubt they even realize we're gone. They'll want the Bloodmobile before anything else."

He chuckled as he played chicken with the car next to us, finally nudging it into another lane; we were back up to eighty, weaving expertly between traffic. "I can't believe Charlie stole that eyesore. He might be used to dangerous situations being an ex-cop and all, but that's stupid."

"You know how Charlie is. Since he quit the force he's always looking for fights; the guy has to have action. Sometimes I think he's going insane but as long as he looks out for himself, I guess its okay."

"You're okay with the stupid stuff he does?"

"It makes him happy." I shrugged. If an adrenaline rush was what he needed to stay happy, and he wasn't getting himself killed, I was happy for him. He was a big boy; he could take care of himself.

Seth's quiet voice came from behind. "That's how my dad was, always jumping into the fray. He did it for us, he wanted to protect us, so one more dead was a good thing. He didn't care if he got hurt, just as long as they were dead."

I turned in my seat to see his face lit up by retreating headlights. He stared into the night but he wasn't seeing anything. "Your dad was a brave man, Seth. He died living his mantra, protecting his family. You should be proud of that."

He nodded, coming back to the present to give me a sad smile. "I know—I am. I want to be just like him."

"Hey, what are you going to do with your freedom when we get to California?" Mike asked, trying to lighten the mood.

He was successful. Seth immediately answered, "I'm ripping my clothes off and rolling in the warm sand."

"That'll impress the bikini babes!" I laughed.

"I'll join you, man. I want to feel the sun and how warm everything is," Mike said. He nudged me gently. "How about you? Care for some nude sand angels?"

"No thanks, pervert. I'm going straight for our weapons dealer, spending a few weeks training, and heading back to Forks."

"That's murder!"

"That's what I plan on doing."

"You can't go back by yourself. We wait for Charlie's orders before we begin the next step, don't rush it."

"Hey if you're not waist deep in women by the time I'm ready, you can come with me."

"I'll go with you," said Tyler's gruff voice. I glanced over the seat to see him pressing his fists into his eyes, trying to wake up. "I know how you feel. That's our town, they shouldn't even exist; we should help them by putting them out of their misery."

"You want to free your parents too, don't you?" I asked grimly.

Everyone knew of the Crowley's situation. When they'd been taken in, they were turned into what we called bloodwhores. Not only were they freely giving blood straight from the vein but they performed sexual services for the vamps, as well. Several families were involved with their protectors, including my elementary school gal pals Jessica and Lauren.

"Yeah. I'm gonna kill the bastards that imprisoned them."

"Let me know when you're doing it," Mike said. "We can take out yours and Jess's at the same time." His fingers gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. If I was more girly I might have made sympathetic noises or touched him, but I had a man's reasoning inside me. Men didn't always want comfort, even if I really felt bad for him.

Jessica and Mike had been childhood sweethearts. When her family gave themselves up for protection she acted like he didn't even exist; all that mattered in her world was her protector and the next time she would see him again.

Our ride was silent after that. We were all dreaming of the vampires we wanted to kill and for what reasons. For me, it was about my freedom. I didn't have anyone to protect, my dad could take care of himself, so I was willing to kill anything in my way of a normal life. I was only eighteen, I had a chance to finish my last year of high school, go to college, get a job—do something that didn't require killing! Anything normal.

Who was I kidding? I'd never get a normal life. Not now.

I rested my head against the chilly window with a sigh.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Mike asked me. "You'll need your strength."

"What about you?"

"I'll sleep on the plane." He grinned, forcing me to smile back at him. Mike always had a certain likeability to him, he could make anyone feel better, and he was kind of cute when he smiled. Despite having a load of kills under his belt, there was an innocence that showed inside him.

Unable to pass up the chance to sleep, I took his offer. Tyler had fallen back asleep so it was up to Mike and Seth to get us past the state line in one piece. I didn't think the vamps were following but that was another bad thing about experienced vamps: You couldn't tell what they were thinking. Sometimes you were a worthless human, sometimes you're a toy, but rarely does someone catch a vampire's eye. Only if they think you're worth something and can be controlled easily. A few runaways meant nothing to them.

I closed my eyes against the lights, the darkness, the blur of the trees and slowly let consciousness go.

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I got a rude awakening from my head smacking against the window. I bolted upright in my seat with surprise. Mike never acted so stupid.

"What's the deal?" I asked, rubbing the sore spot.

Then I heard it. A shrill tear broke the silence in my head, ringing in the car like a thousand aluminum cans being torn apart. A gunshot echoed in the car next. I turned to find the left side of the SUV flapping in the wind, a vampire clinging to the stable body. Seth was unloading into him as he tried to climb inside.

Mike swerved into another vehicle in a vain attempt to wipe him off but he pulled himself through in time.

I pulled my gun, and despite being in a daze, shot through the vamp. He barely staggered before reaching for Tyler; he ducked out of the way, the back of his shirt torn, and came back with a flash of silver. The vampire screamed as the blade sunk into his arm. Seth had enough time to put a bullet in his head and jumped over the seat to push him onto the road.

Another vampire was making his way through. With Seth in the way I didn't want to take my chances of shooting my friend, but he had a major disadvantage. The vamp knew this. He smiled at Seth and grabbed the front of his shirt. He couldn't get to his knife quick enough. The vamp fell backwards, taking Seth with him.

I screamed and hit my seatbelt to go after him but Tyler held me in.

"Keep driving!" he yelled. Mike picked up speed, although I wasn't sure how much more it could take.

How could they just leave him? He was still alive! We had to look out for each other—we were going to survive together!

"What are you doing? We have to go back for him!" I thrashed in my seat hoping to shake Tyler; the trips to the gym paid off for him, he was stronger than me, and kept me in my seat.

"We're on a highway being chased by a van full of vampires at twice the speed limit—we're not stopping!"

As if on cue that van appeared next to us and proceeded to slam into us, pushing the SUV over two lanes towards the guardrail. They were going to run us off the road! Mike swerved, trying to fight them back, so he didn't notice the semi truck strolling along in front until I screamed.

He hit the brakes, the car skidded out of his control as the vamps slowed and knocked into the backside. We flipped, bashed right through the guardrail, and rolled down the small incline before crashing into a tree. The rest of the glass fell in on us and the top of the SUV nearly crushed my skull as I tumbled around, but we got lucky. We may have had a rough descent yet we were alive and able to crawl out through the gaping wound on the side.

Tyler's face was covered in blood, Mike had a gash in his hand from a large piece of glass—I could only imagine what I looked like, probably a villain from a horror film, if I had to guess. I shook the glass out of my hair, wiped the blood from my face onto my sleeve, and pulled my gun. The boys followed suit since we had headlights bearing down on us. The van was coming down the hill at full speed. Mike grabbed my arm, running with Tyler on our heels, when I heard a sickening crunch behind; they rammed headfirst into the SUV.

"Split up, they'll be on us in a second!" Mike called as he released me. He disappeared into the trees without a sound, Tyler going a different direction.

I kept running my path with stumbling feet. Without a light in this unknown forest, I would instantly be caught. How many vampires chased us? It was a mini-van so there couldn't be too many, especially since they lost two on the highway.

_Seth._

I tripped over a root, nearly setting my gun off—thank God for safety. Picking myself back up, I choked on a sob. Those beasts probably held him down to get run over. Seth didn't deserve such a horrible end. He was a sweet kid despite being dragged into this battle at a young age. He kept his innocence, retained his happiness in the worst of times—I swear the only thing that set him off was talk about his dad. He couldn't be dead! He didn't deserve to die!

Footsteps sounded behind me and I dove behind a tree. My breathing was so erratic I was sure it didn't matter if I hid or not, they'd find me from my racing heart. The footsteps disappeared as quickly as they came. I caught my breath and continued running in the dark.

It wasn't long until I slammed into something solid—something that was flesh and not bark. Hands clasped over my shoulders, bringing me closer to the pillar of ice, but my thumb hit the safety and I shot its side; it flinched with pain, letting me go. I kicked into the darkness in the direction of the strained hiss and was met with the satisfying crack of a broken nose. Before I could get my foot down to run, the big hands circled my calf and pulled me off balance; I hit the forest floor on my bony butt, already cursing him for the bruise I knew I'd have.

"Got'cha," he growled.

I fired twice more at him before my magazine clicked empty. Crap! I never reloaded! Panic suddenly fueled my body and I kicked out with both feet only to have them secured in a beefy arm. My hands dug up dirt to throw in his face but it didn't stop him from reeling me in. I didn't have a knife, no extra gun, and there wasn't enough time to reload. He had me in his clutches with no escape.

I screamed, still struggling in vain. "Let me go! Get off me!"

"Hold still, you little bitch! You're more trouble than you're worth."

"Worth?" Did they know Charlie was the new leader? Were they going to use me to send a message? Was that why they didn't kill us immediately?

"If you don't stop struggling I'm going to take you in dead, got it?"

I instantly relaxed my muscles and he waited for all of five seconds to see if I was playing him. His arm loosened around my legs as he pulled me in without a single twitch; unfortunately, the rocks and branches were starting to tear my shirt. I could feel them biting into my skin, making me want to squirm.

"That's a good girl," he cooed sickeningly, and I was glad I couldn't see his face. "You don't want to die, do you?"

"No," I whimpered.

"Well, when we get back to the masters I'll see what I can do about stalling it, okay?"

He finally had us chest to chest. He was fighting to get my hands behind my back, but I clung to his shirt. "Oh thank you, thank you," I breathed.

"Calm down, sheesh. It's not like they'll kill you immediately, anyway, but I can probably find you work somewhere."

"Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you so much!"

"Don't worry about it, it's my—"

I jammed my thumbs into his eyes and pushed until I felt them give; he screamed and clawed at my wrists but I fought against the pain of his talon-like nails. He fell over clutching his face and I slammed my boot down onto him for good measure. I was feeling especially violent and angry having to momentarily give in to the damsel role, but I resisted the urge to spit on him. That would be uncalled for.

It took only a second to find my gun and take off, pulling a magazine out of my back pocket to reload; my pistol only held ten shots per magazine, meaning I had to carry more ammo wherever I went.

He yelled at me as I ran but he couldn't move yet, it would take time for his eyes to heal, so I took advantage of all the time I had. I was full-out sprinting in the dark on uneven ground with two other humans out here, and who knew how many vamps; it was my bad luck I already met one. He nearly had me, too. I didn't have the strength to fight off another.

My foot hit the ground on a bad spot, maybe I tumbled over a log, but before I could blink I was flying head-over-heels down a hill. Not only was I bleeding freely, my muscles and head aching, but now I'd have broken bones! I tried to catch myself on a root but only cut my hand, and I tried slowing my way with my feet until I flipped over. I could only curl up and hope I wasn't going off a cliff.

The hill slowly turned into flat land and my back hit a tree with enough force my bones shook. I coughed up blood twice before realizing I couldn't feel my body, couldn't move a muscle, and the darkness I saw was not the forest's darkness. It was the kind of darkness that made me fear for my life. The kind that was paralyzing and scary enough to make me cry.

I couldn't fight it back. It surrounded me in a hot tidal wave, lifting me out of my body. I wanted to sleep after my ordeal and quickly succumbed to the buzz in my head.


	3. Shoot Me Now

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga_. No copyright infringement intended.**

_Enter the vampires! I hope you're enjoying this look inside a different Bella._

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We stood on the wet sand of our favorite beach in La Push. Despite the rain and the temperature being below thirty, I stood ankle-deep in the water watching minnows swim around my toes. La Push did strange things to me; it felt so free and relaxing being here. My skin didn't crawl with the sensation of being watched, no one cared to eavesdrop on your conversations—it was just us and nature.

The gray clouds rolled overhead as the cold rain hit my bare arms. I had a terrible immune system, I was always getting sick easily, but it was a rule when we came here that our socks and shoes were off, and no coats allowed. Just like true Forks kids fashion. It was a beach, after all.

I spooked the minnows as I turned and frowned as they swam away, not because I was sad they were gone, but because of the bump on the log. I ran over the sand and glared at him. He was sulking again.

"What are you doing?" I asked with my hands on my hips. "This is against the rules. We don't sulk at the beach."

He sighed and looked up from the twigs he played with. "I told you I wasn't in the mood today."

"And that's why we're here. Your bad attitude was just begging for some fun." I slapped the sticks from his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Come on, let's go diving!"

"The water's freezing, you'll get sick."

"Chicken, chicken," I taunted childishly, flapping my arms like wings, as I made my way toward the short pile of rocks. I wasn't ready to try the large mountain-like structure in the distance, being a little afraid of heights, so I stayed with my perfect diving spot. Not even Lauren would jump from my spot; it was too high for all the girls.

His footsteps raced passed me, that lanky frame a blur of brown skin, and I hurried to catch up, laughing. That brat! He was always cheating like this!

He climbed onto the platform the outcropping made and laughed as I tripped in the sand, catching myself on the rocks. I climbed up with his helping hand, but he didn't let go once I was on solid ground. He kept a tight grip on my hand as we walked out to the edge.

"How bad do you think this thing will get?" he asked, just loud enough that I could hear him over the waves. "They can't take over the world, right? I mean, their supposed to be myths, the world population won't believe it."

"You believed it right away," I reminded him.

"Only because of my parent's stupid superstitions, but now I'm wondering what else could be true."

"Do you think you'll explode into a giant wolf?" I laughed. The Quileute tribe legends weren't public knowledge, but I knew them so well from my friends. They believed there were cold ones, vampires, out there—and that was true. What if one day he woke up in an animal's body? I guess he would stop mocking his elders then.

"I just might." He released my hand, raising his arms, and growled at me. "I'm a terrifying wolf who wants to eat you!"

I laughed and dashed for the edge while he howled and chased me. "No, Mr. Wolf, you don't want to eat me. I'm nothing but skin and bones!"

"Not true. I see some meat right . . . here!" He tackled me over the rocks, thankfully securing his arms around my waist as we flipped in the air, laughing in my ear. I screamed in the split second it took to land in the water.

Cold water cascaded over my head, all sounds dying, and I found I couldn't hold my breath. Seth's smiling face appeared before my eyes but something was wrong. It was a forced grin, eyes wide, as his body floated to the surface.

I gasped, stupid enough to take in a mouthful of salt water, and screamed at the cloud of black that surrounded him. Blood stuck to my hands as I swam for him but something caught my ankle. I didn't bother to look—I had to get to Seth, I had to get to the surface. I couldn't breathe! I was drowning!

Despite my struggling the water grew darker the further I was dragged down but I could see Seth with startling clarity. The black cloud was quickly spreading, becoming a bright red, until the whole ocean was red with his blood. I kicked and screamed and sucked in more water until finally my vision burned away, body unable to fight.

I floated in the depths with Seth's accusing voice in my head.

_It's your fault. We're all dead because of you. I hope you're happy._

_I felt hopeless; I couldn't do anything to stop it. I'm sorry, Seth, I'm sorry!_

A weight slammed down onto me and I coughed as air rushed from my lungs. It was heavy and uncomfortable—and it was me. It was my consciousness, my life, just being awake that made me feel sluggish and heavy. Yet I was alive. I couldn't remember half of what happened, except for Seth. I saw his frozen smile in my head, the way he floated up like a balloon—no, that wasn't right. I didn't kill him. He fell. He was pulled from the car with a vampire.

My eyes welled with tears and I hastily wiped them away. He wouldn't want me to cry over him, even if he hated me for letting him die. I missed a tear but found I didn't have the strength to catch it.

A warm cloth pressed against my face, the sensation of it so unexpected my eyes shot open. The woman stepped back in shock and I felt a soft bed under my back. How did I get here? Where was Mike, Tyler? Were they okay or . . . no, I'd find out they were here, raiding the fridge like only guys can, and that they killed their pursuers. That we were all in Rainier like planned.

I took in my surroundings with a quick glance—upper class home, nice furnishing, warm and welcoming room—before I realized I was covered in bandages and clothes that weren't mine.

The door opened to reveal a young blond man. I knew instantly that I wasn't staring at a human, he was completely unnatural, but I couldn't tell what he would do. I never saw a vampire with gold eyes. I noticed a moment too late the woman also had gold eyes, and shifted away from her.

"Good morning," said the man with a smile. He seemed incredibly confident he could pass as human. He measured his steps, he was careful to use a steady voice. How old was he? He almost perfected the art of being human—almost. "How are you feeling?"

I kept tight lipped as he approached.

He frowned. "Do you remember your name?"

"Where am I?" I asked against my will. Sometimes my curiosity got the better of me.

"You are in my home in Portland, Oregon. Now, can you tell me your name?"

Portland? I wasn't supposed to be in this area yet. I didn't even know our contact. "I know my name, okay? Stop asking me that."

"I just wanted to be sure. You had a major concussion when my son brought you in." He sat lightly on the bed and stretched his arm out toward me. I threw the thick blankets at him, jumping out of the warm cocoon, only to fall on my butt. My hand immediately reached for the gun under my right arm but nothing was there.

"Are you okay? You shouldn't have stood so quickly; your body went through a lot of trauma, it needs more time to heal." He stood up and I held up my hands; he didn't move a single inch.

"Don't touch me," I hissed, feeling so very vulnerable. I had no weapon against them, not even the lamp next to the bed would help. "I know what you are. I don't know what you want with me but I don't want you touching me. I'm not going back!"

"Bella, please calm down."

"How do you know me? I didn't tell you my name."

"You told me while you were unconscious, or walking the line of awake and sleep. You might not—"

"Don't lie to me!" I screamed. My body shook with fear. I never let my defense down, and to lose it in front of vampires was a definite no-no.

"I give you my word I'm not lying. May we help you up from the floor so I can check your eyes, or shall I join you down there? It's your choice, Bella."

I didn't want them getting anywhere near me but I wasn't going to degrade myself further by crawling. He offered the help—it wasn't weak to accept it. I nodded and asked for a hand up. With wide eyes, the woman came around the bed while the man pulled back the blankets. She bent to pick me up but I quickly used her as leverage to push myself onto my feet; my legs shook too much to stand upright for long, so she was there to help, murmuring concern with each step. She felt the same as all the other vamps yet there was warmth to her voice, almost kind and motherly, that could fool anyone. Anyone who didn't know, that is.

She set me carefully on the edge and waited for me to lay back; I refused with a stubborn pout. I wasn't going to be tucked in only to be defenseless. The man smiled indulgently as he stood and produced a penlight from his pocket, coming around to kneel in front of me. His proximity was uncomfortable and I sat further back on the bed.

"Please try to relax Bella, I'm not going to hurt you. I only want to check your eyes. Follow my finger, please."

"Are you some kind of doctor?" I huffed.

"How rude of me for not introducing myself before. Yes, I am Dr. Carlisle Cullen, nice to meet you."

I couldn't say the same. "Where's your diploma?"

"In my office. Would you like me to get it?"

"No. Never mind."

He chuckled, running his index finger in front of my eyes. I tried to watch him and the woman at the same time but he noticed. Demanding my full attention he asked the woman, he called her Esme, to leave. My anxiety kicked in, I knew he could hear the way my heart beat faster, and he couldn't let it go.

"It's odd that you're more nervous with one person in the room instead of two," he said calmly, putting the light away, his test complete. He stood like a human, assisting himself up with a hand on his knee.

"You don't look that old," I said, surprising myself. I was one step away from a conversation with a vampire!

"Many people say that but I'm much older than I appear."

"Two hundred seventy-five?"

He laughed, the sound made me shiver. "Of course not! It's much higher."

I was talking with an old vamp? Crap. Luck was definitely not on my side. From the stories I heard, vamps came from the grave strong and as they grew became weak. Those stories were wrong. Our best chance to kill them was between the newborn stage and eighty years. They were confused, often brain dead fresh from the grave; they ran on instincts for a long time so it was easy to trick them. By eighty they had an understanding of their new life and were growing into their powers. If he was over two hundred, there was no way I was getting out alive.

"Do you mind if I took the bandages from around your head?" he asked unobtrusively; I still jumped at the sound of his voice. "I would like to check how you're doing."

I held up my hands. "I don't want you touching me. I'll remove them myself."

"I still need to touch your scalp, to check the wounds."

"You like making things difficult, don't you?"

"Only because you make it difficult first. You can argue with me as long as you want. I fight patients all day, I can wait."

I felt like a teenager sitting on the ridiculously comfortable bed, pouting. My hand absently found its way to where it would tug on the shoulder strap, but it wasn't there. It finally dawned on me to ask what I should have asked first. "Where's my gun?"

"Your gun is in its holster far from this room," the vamp replied. "It's not safe for you to have it right now."

"You mean not safe for you."

"I haven't made a single threat about your safety yet you want to kill me? Is that a new way of saying thanks to someone who saved your life?"

"I don't thank vampires."

He sighed and motioned towards my head. "May I? This stubborn streak is worrying me. One so young shouldn't be so cynical."

Before I could snap at him, his hand was suddenly tugging on the wrap around my head; apparently he felt asking is courteous, but waiting for a reply is too much work. I flinched from the speed and chill of his fingers. Keeping still while a vampire's hands moved around my head was one of the toughest challenges I faced, definitely harder than being stuck in a vehicle with Mike, who has the windows locked, when he lets one rip.

The vamp set the bandages off to the side, and showing that his hands were empty, lightly touched my temples. I yelped at his cold touch.

"I apologize, Bella," he said quietly. He concentrated on the bumps throbbing on my head and the base of my skull.

"I bet your patients complain about it all the time," I muttered.

"Not as much as you think. Does this hurt?" He touched a particular spot gently. I fought the urge to squirm.

Yes, it hurts, now cut it out! "No. I'm fine."

"How about here?" He pressed on a different spot that hurt just as much.

"No."

"And here?" His hand barely touched my back but I jumped.

"Fuck that hurts! What are you doing?" I slapped his hands away.

"From what I can tell there are no broken bones and no major head injuries, only a lot of bruising and a sprained ankle. You're _very_ lucky, Bella. Most people would be dead after tumbling down a thirty-foot drop. How you escaped with a few bruises is beyond me."

"It doesn't matter. I have to get out of here so it would be nice if you returned my gun."

He frowned. "You're not going anywhere until you've healed."

"I need to leave immediately," I said sternly.

"Is there anyone you would like to call?"

"No." None of the resistance had cell phones, and landlines were only used in emergencies. The vamps watched calls and mail and Internet pages all day, every day. Anything we did was monitored.

"Just give me back my gun and I'll go."

"Is it because of the tattoo on the back of your neck?" My hand slapped over the mark without realizing and he smiled. "I thought so. Many people have passed through here recently with the same mark and at first I wondered where I saw it before, but it's been some time, and my memory can't seem to find it. You came from Washington, didn't you? An escapee, if you don't mind the term."

"Yeah, that's right," I answered cautiously, wishing he would step back. "What are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing," he laughed. "I wouldn't harm a human. I know of the situation in Washington, like most vampires do and—"

"There are more of you?"

"Of course. I don't know the exact number so let's just say there are many vampires around the world, and most of them are not happy about what's happening in Washington."

I sneered. "Yeah, I bet it's just devastating for you. No one seems to be doing anything to help."

He moved to sit in a plush chair near the open window. I knew he did it to make me feel more comfortable, being farthest away from me, and my heart barely settled in my chest. I hate to admit it, but so far he was the kindest vampire I ever met. He laid his head against the back and sighed, closing his eyes.

I wish I had my gun. Bang—right through the heart.

"I'm sure they would but the vampires who control Washington also have influence around the world, they have a large number of highly trained guards. No one wants to take the chance."

My anger was slowly rising to the surface. I could feel the tears coming up. "Of course no one wants to risk their life for _food!_ We humans have to look out for ourselves and that's why I don't need your help. I don't have any money but I'm sure—"

"Stand up and walk a straight line," he interrupted.

I blinked with confusion. "Excuse me?"

He opened his eyes and gave me a strange look with those golden eyes. "You heard me." He was confident I couldn't do it. Fine. I'd show him.

I glared at him as I moved my legs over the edge of the bed; he watched with interest but I could see the worry behind the mask. My legs protested when they supported my full weight and my head felt fuzzy, the room only slightly spinning. I lifted my arms as if to say _See? I can do it, I'm fine._ He motioned for me to continue so I raised a foot to take a small step . . . and fell backwards. I screamed with the sensation of pins and needles running up and down my spine—and that was only from hitting the bed! I couldn't imagine the pain if I fell on the floor.

He was above me again in a flash with worry on his face. "Are you okay?"

I writhed with the last excruciating wave and lay still on the bed. "You win," I panted.

He grinned boyishly as he said, "I thought you might see it my way. Now then, there's a bathroom across the hall, just call my wife and she'll be happy to help you."

"Wife?"

"Yes, Esme is my wife. You saw her earlier."

"Vampires don't get married." I sat up, carefully so I wouldn't set off the pins and needles again, to watch him move towards the door.

He rolled his eyes. "Must I show you the marriage license? While it is unusual for mates to marry in the human world, we thought it would look good on record, make some things easier for us. Unfortunately it never stops the nurses from flirting," he chuckled. "While you're here you'll find that our family is much different from the vampires you've seen. We only want to help you, Bella."

"What if I don't want your help?" I scoffed.

"But you need it, and with the position you're in, you can't refuse. I know how you see it but asking for help from people who already offered is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of intelligence."

His hand touched the shiny doorknob and, as if it was a second thought, he turned back to me. "Are you hungry?"

The question caught me off guard. A vampire offering a human food? It seemed farfetched to me, but when was the last time I ate? Two days ago, maybe. I had been busy preparing for the breakout that I didn't take time to eat; my schedule consisted of running and sleeping until I was in Rainier, then I wanted a greasy burger.

"No," I said, but my stomach answered by growling its approval of that burger. Too bad for my stomach because I wasn't eating anything if I stayed here; they could easily poison me.

He smiled softly. "I don't want to load too much on your system currently, so how about a hot bowl of soup?"

"Whatever." And by that I meant: _Whatever gets you out of here sooner so I can plan my escape._ I don't care if he very painfully demonstrated the fact I couldn't walk, I would force my body through the pain to get away from these vamps.

"Very well. Soup whatever, coming right up! You'll find it's my specialty." He laughed as he left the room, finally leaving me alone.

Now . . . where were the secret tunnels in this place?


	4. Vampires Are Evil Period

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga. _No copyright infringement intended.**

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_Has anyone missed the action? I almost do. Don't worry; it's coming back. For now, have some dialogue._

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Sitting around in bed was getting me nowhere. Before the woman came back, I tried standing on my own again, only to collapse back onto the mattress. I caught myself that time.

Esme brought me a piping hot bowl of chicken noodle soup, which she boasted was handmade. I wasn't aware vampires even knew how to cook. Did she flip on the Food Network and they happened to have a special on soup? They didn't eat human food, so why would they need to cook?

My stomach flipped at the first whiff of the meal. It smelled amazing but I wasn't willing to keep putting my luck on the line; so far it failed to keep me safe, I couldn't imagine what it would mean if I ate this vampire's food. But even if I got out, when would I next eat? I had to show up at Rainier which was probably a few days away. I would starve to death before then.

I glared at the deep bowl sitting beside the bed. _Go away, I don't need you—_as if I could communicate with it. It was taunting me! I could imagine the chicken chunks splashing in the broth, giggling as they throw herbs at each other.

Oh my god, I was fantasizing about chunks of chicken meat playing. Maybe I really needed to eat. No, no, I had to focus on getting out of this house.

From what I could see the house was surrounded by trees. That was no surprise; vampires avoided crowded places to prevent drawing attention. Wish that went for vampires in Washington, too. Portland was a highly populated area so they had to be somewhere outside the city, but it couldn't be too far because then the vamp couldn't get to his job as humanly as possible. I sighed and slouched on the bed. Where was a computer when I needed one? Planning always went smoothly with technology.

There was a knock on the door. I jumped enough to make the bed shake, nearly spilling the soup beside it. "Bella, may I come in?" It was the doctor again.

I gathered my wits and steeled my nerves. He was probably coming to insult me again. Well he could try; I was a strong girl, and I wasn't giving up. I would throw back anything he had to say, retrieve my gun, and be on my way before they killed me.

"It's your house," I called. Knocking gave the illusion of privacy but they heard every shift I made, so why waste the effort? "What do you want now?"

He entered the room, closing the door behind him. The calm smile was disarming and I fought to keep up my glare. "Relax. I came to check on you; it was a little too quiet up here."

"I could have been sleeping."

"Why didn't you fake it? If you were sleeping I would have left you alone."

"What good would that do me? You can hear my heart beating. I wouldn't have a steady breathing pattern."

"You think of everything, don't you?" He shook his head. "Washington must be worse than I thought."

"You're one of them," I barked. "Why do you care so much about what happens to humans?"

He went to the chair by the window again and stared out the glass. "You might have noticed something different about my family. The vampires you know have red eyes due to the human blood they drink. We have golden eyes, we drink animal blood. My family and I have adapted to a . . . vegetarian lifestyle, if you will. We don't drink human blood."

Vegetarian lifestyle? Was he kidding? Sure, I noticed his eye color—who wouldn't?—but no vampire could resist human blood. It's what fueled them, what all vampires lived for. There was no way animals placated them!

I laughed. This was too rich! A vegetarian vampire!

"How stupid do you think I am?" I gasped. "There's no such thing as a vegetarian vampire. You need blood to survive, you can't resist the call."

He glanced at me, his eyes liquid sunlight with his anger, but returned his eyes to the glass. "What do you know about blood lust?"

I glared at him. "I know that it causes a lot of 'accidents' in the field. A small cut can set off a whole legion."

He lost the pleasant façade to show something between anger, sadness, and disbelief. It disappeared quickly, replaced by calculation.

Did he realize he was an open book?

"How old are you, Bella?" he asked.

The question was unexpected but I didn't let it show; I answered, immediately hating where this conversation was going. "Old enough to—"

"Honestly."

I hesitated, biting my bottom lip. He was fishing for information, for what reason I didn't know, and that was dangerous. Was there any harm telling a vampire my age? Perhaps he was wondering if my blood was too old for him. Did I want to tell him? "Eighteen."

"Younger than I thought. How long have you lived in Washington?"

"You mean how long have I been fighting? I don't know. I lived with my mom for a long time; I only met my dad once before moving here. I was seven; he taught me how to shoot a gun."

"At seven years old?"

"Kids younger than that are learning now."

"I suppose that's true. So you fought since you were seven?"

"No. I didn't move to Forks until a few years later. Mom had found a new boyfriend, she wanted to travel with him, and I didn't. But Dad didn't want me because of what was going on."

"They were in power before you were born, correct?"

"I guess."

He shook his head sadly. "It's terrible you grew up in such a place. Did you know all vampires were ordered to reveal themselves? The group that controls Washington demanded that vampires around the world come out of hiding and rise up, take what is supposedly ours. I didn't agree with them. I told them the world belongs to humans, that we forfeited our control when we were turned."

"And _they_ didn't agree with _you_."

"Of course not," he smiled. "They firmly believe that vampires are superior and humans are nothing more than food."

"Preaching to the choir," I muttered, rolling my eyes, leaning against the headboard.

"I'm sorry. You grew up with that mindset."

"No, I grew up with the mindset that vampires are abominations that need to die. Their existing is immoral."

He sat up straighter, pulled his attention away from the outside to look at me, and I noticed a distinct glint in his eye. I was a step away from a landmine and I didn't know where to go to avoid it.

"Immoral, you say? Why? Because we're damned creatures, that our humanity was lost long ago? I certainly don't see it that way. I didn't make the choice to step into this life, it was an accident, but I never condemned the one who did it. Yes, I may not be fully human anymore, but I still have my humanity, my soul—humans can see it, they are more relaxed around me because of it. Just because I'm not human means I cannot live on this earth? Why, if that's the case, you should hurry and destroy all the animals; they aren't human, after all."

The mine exploded in my face.

He smiled with triumph as my mouth gaped. I was frantically looking for something to say but only drew blanks. I hated to admit it but he made a good point. Who was I to say what could and could not live? But . . . the vampires in Washington deserved to die—they made us slaves! I fisted my hands in the blanket. The silence stretched on.

"Your soup is getting cold," he said, sounding all too smug.

I glared at him, wishing I had the strength to punch the stupid smile off his face. "You don't have a soul."

"You can't say that for sure. How am I alive?"

"You're dead! When the body dies, the soul leaves. You only exist!"

"How am I alive?" he repeated.

"You're not! Its black magic, voodoo—I don't know, but you are _not_ alive!"

He shrugged and stood up, coming towards me. I pressed my back harder against the headboard the closer he came, ignoring the pain, wishing it would swallow me. The look in his eyes had me worried. His patience was a lot shorter than he claimed; he was ready to kill me. He sat near the foot of the bed and I pulled my legs to my chest. He would have to move his whole body if he wanted to attack me now, he couldn't drag me by my legs, and if I was lucky I would see it coming. Or maybe, because of my condition, I didn't want to see it.

"Until you have experienced this life, you have no idea what you're talking about. You may think you have it all figured out but unless you see the world through our eyes, experience the overwhelming emotions we face, you cannot judge," he said quietly. He stood and grabbed the steamy bowl, holding it out to me. "Now please, eat. You need your strength."

I gingerly accepted the bowl and watched him leave quickly. The first mouthful was delicious, the second was even better, and by the time I finished the whole bowl I realized something was wrong.

First, I just ate the best meal of my life—and it was soup made by a vampire. Second, I had a conversation with a vampire, Carlisle Cullen, and I didn't kill him during or after. I actually almost . . . respected him.


	5. Vampires Can Have Babies?

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga_. I own the plot. No copyright infringement intended; I'm not making money off this.**

**Wondering where the action went? Don't worry, it's coming back. Enjoy the nice long update with the Cullen kids.  
Who don't play such a huge role at the moment...**

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Ten days passed since I was brought into the Cullen household. Surprisingly, we were all still alive. I figured if I had to stay more than a night blood would be spilt, yet here we were acting like a semi functional family. I didn't go through a change of heart—in my mind, vampires will always be evil, even the Cullen's couldn't change that—but these golden eyed vamps weren't too bad. They fed me, gave me clothes, basically gave me control of the house. I couldn't complain.

By the eighth day I regained my strength. I must have inflicted more damage than I thought to stay down that long; my previous record had been three days. When I could skip in a straight line I asked for my gun on my way to the door. Carlisle immediately disapproved, saying he wanted me to stay for observation. Just to make sure.

Whatever! I threw a fit but he was serious about keeping me. So here I was in this grand house, waiting to retrieve my weapon—which I never found, despite all my snooping—and find the nearest bus stop. It was about time I got to Rainier.

In the meantime, I could enjoy my last few hours in their amazing house. The furnishings screamed "Rich family here, please rob us!" but they weren't so opulent they were gaudy, in fact everything was surprisingly well picked and placed. The house was painted with warm colors, the floors made of parquet wood all in beautiful designs. I'd searched the upstairs on the rare occasion the house was empty.

Four rooms were filled with personality. One had a huge stereo system and a wall full of CDs, audio cassettes, and records with no bed. There was a seriously girly room full of ancient Vogue magazines. Another room was only defined by its giant bed, and then there was Carlisle and Esme's room filled with medical journals. My gun wasn't anywhere to be found.

Carlisle often spoke about his family so where were they? Did vampires take vacations? It was an interesting thought—imagining vampires on a beach in the Bahamas was especially funny—but I quickly shoved it away. Three extra vamps out of my hair was a blessing, I wasn't questioning it.

I was thankful to have my strength back and took full advantage of walking on my own two feet. While the vamps were away I busied myself with work out routines and escape plans. Without my gun—forget it, I wasn't going anywhere. They knew this, that's why they hid it so well. Why they didn't want me to leave was still unknown. Observation, _sure_, that's a perfectly good reason to keep someone holed up.

At least they gave me run of the house.

The plasma screen was nice, making my own food even better, but the best part was the warm shower after all I'd been through. Smelling like strawberries wasn't preferred but definitely better than sewage pipes and baby wipes. After my first conscious shower I felt so much better, but my clothing situation made me uncomfortable. The guest room closet had been filled with correct sizes in everything—pants, skirts, tops, dresses, even shoes! Were these vamps expecting me or was there someone in the house with the same size? Did I really care? Not so much. I only cared to have a bigger shirt; I wasn't used to wearing brand name blouses with a "flattering figure," according to the tag.

I glanced at the clock on the stove while I chopped lettuce for my salad. Four o'clock and still raining; it was nothing new, but the weatherman promised sunshine. Can't ever trust them. I had hoped to go outside, get some fresh air, do something productive, but I didn't have a coat to ward off the rain and had no idea where to find one. Not that I'm afraid of rain, I just didn't want to ruin the clothes.

My eyes then traveled to the phone for the hundredth time in ten minutes. I knew the number of our contact in Rainier, Charlie had me memorize it in case something happened and we had the ability to call. Should I risk it? I could call for a rescue, ransack the house for human servants, and be on our way before the vamps got home. I bit my lip and set the knife on the counter, moving towards the shiny piece of black technology. I had a dial tone, hesitantly punched in the numbers, holding onto the edge of the counter.

_Someone please pick up,_ I silently begged. What if something happened? What if Mike and Tyler had been followed and . . . no, that wouldn't happen. We had been tracked by amateurs; they wouldn't let good blood go to find a bigger herd.

The phone rang three times before a gruff old voice answered cautiously, "Hello?"

I slid down the wall with relief. I knew that voice! "I am so glad to hear you, old man, you have no idea."

"Bella? What in the world is going on? Why are you calling from Portland?"

"I'll tell you in a second, just answer me this. Have Mike Newton and Tyler Crowley passed through?"

"Sometime ago, yeah. I heard about the accident. Everyone thought you were dead."

"I thought so, too," I sighed. "Turns out I was found and cared for by a doctor." I swallowed the uncomfortable lump in my throat, my hands shook with the next words out of my mouth. I had to ask. "Hey, Old Quil, has Seth. . . ." I couldn't say it; it was hard enough to say his name.

"No, not yet, anyway," he answered quietly. "Sue and Leah are still here, do you want to talk to them?"

"Oh no, I c-couldn't! I-I don't even know what to say." My fingers idly twisted the hem of my shirt. If Seth didn't check in . . . he was dead. Even if he was bleeding out he would find some way to show up in Rainier. Who should tell Sue? How could we tell her?

Old Quil immediately changed the subject by asking, "Why don't you tell me how you made it to Portland? I never took you for one to skip a check point."

I recounted what happened to the best of my ability. Being unconscious for most of it made things blurry. I told him of the highway chase, about Seth, splitting up and fending off the vampires. When it came to waking up in Portland, well, I had to smudge some details. If Old Quil knew I was in the company of vampires he'd cross himself (if old Indian tribe leaders did that), have a heart attack, and send an army out to get me. I didn't need that just yet.

"The doctor said he found me on the side of the road and I've been in his house ever since," I finished, hoping he didn't notice my stammering lies throughout.

"What took you so long to call? We were worried sick! Your father was ready to send out a search party," he laughed.

"He didn't before?"

"You're a tough kid. He had faith."

That made me smile. He believed wherever I was I still had the strength to fight. "You know we never carry phones so I wasn't sure what to do. I was unconscious for a while, bedridden for eight more days. My back is still a little sore but I feel so much better."

"That's good, you need to keep up your strength." There was a quiet voice on the other end and I heard him tell Sue I was still alive but no word on her son. Crap, it was going to be bad if we kept denying it. "Should we be expecting you at our door any time soon? Sue made a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies."

I laughed but it came out more as a defeated sigh. "As good as that sounds, no. Now that I know everyone moved on I don't want to backtrack; I checked in, I can take provisions from here. Unfortunately I don't know who I'm looking for here."

His raspy voice crackled like a hundred wrinkling pages, laughing at me; seriously, the guy was like two-thousand years old. "His name is Billy Black, he's from the rez, as well. Do you have a pen?"

I jumped up to pull open random drawers. Silver ware, linen napkins, cooking utensils—what the heck? Why do vampires need all of this? Where was their junk drawer? Finally the middle drawer on the island produced results. I couldn't be bothered with paper that could easily fall into the wrong hands and wrote the information Old Quil gave me on my arm, repeating it back to make sure I had it right. I really hoped it was only a bus ride away.

"By the way, Bella, who are staying with?" Old Quil asked. His voice was waning and I realized this was the longest I ever heard him talk; it was probably wearing on him.

"Dr. Cul—" A sound from outside cut me off. A car door. Esme said she wouldn't be home until six!

"What was that, Bella?"

Two more doors slammed.

"I have to go," I murmured into the phone.

"Bella," he sounded frantic, "please don't tell me you're with Car—"

I ended the call and grabbed the knife I had been using. Call it common sense, but I had a feeling the guests were not human. I barely peeked out the window facing the garage to see an unknown silver car sitting in the rain. Esme had a normal red car, Carlisle had something a little sleeker in black, but this one I had no idea.

The doorknob jiggled before the lock clicked, keys withdrawing. I took a wide stance and prepared to pounce.

The second the door opened I pushed it aside and plunged the knife into my closest target. I blinked and my wrist was stuck in midair, inches from a girl's face; she and the tall guy restraining me didn't look surprised at all. He squeezed my wrist, the knife clattered to the floor.

I stepped back, wrenching out of his grasp, before charging again. Sure, my bare fists wouldn't faze a vamp but I had to protect myself. No one told me about visitors, they were probably here to kill me! I barely had enough time to swing my fist at the guy before he disappeared. One second I was rushing toward him, the next my arms were pulled behind my back and I was eating the polished wood of the hall floor.

"Who are you?" he demanded. Even if I wanted to I couldn't answer him; he had a hand on my head, pushing my face down.

"Don't hurt her, Jasper, she's meant to be here," said a lilting voice. Jasper, apparently the name of the manhandler, let up on my head yet kept my hands secured. I liked how careful he was being about my presence but the weight he was putting on my back slowly sent off numbing tingles of pain. I was about ready to squirm if I knew it wouldn't hurt me.

I raised my head to see the black haired girl I nearly stabbed kneeling in front of me. She smiled kindly and I noticed she also had gold eyes.

Was this Carlisle's family?

"I'm Alice Cullen, that's my husband Jasper," she said. "It's a good thing he was there to stop you, otherwise you would have hurt yourself. Great reflexes, huh?"

She grabbed the knife as she stood, Jasper's weight disappearing, and I jumped to my feet. No way was I lying around on the floor with these two around. I wobbled with the aching in my back and Alice held my arm before I found my footing.

"Careful, that's a nasty injury you had. It needs more time to heal."

I grimaced, shaking my arm free. "How do you know about that?"

She grinned mischievously. "Carlisle mentioned you over the phone. He said we should be on our best behaviors and try not to spook you, you're an escapee from Washington."

"She's actually here?" I looked over Alice's head to find more vamps outside; three of them, in fact. The largest one was smiling like Christmas came early while he grabbed a suitcase from the trunk of a second car. "Awesome, a real human in our house! I thought he was lying to us."

"Bella, say hello to Emmett," Alice said pleasantly. "He's really not as destructive as he looks."

"I don't care." I stepped back only to run into Jasper's chest. "Who are you, and where did you come from?"

"We're the Cullen siblings, children of Carlisle and Esme Cullen. We were out of the house on a camping trip, which is how you were found. Edward was the one who rescued you. You should thank him; he risked a lot to bring you here."

"I don't thank vampires," I spat. This many dead bodies were making me bristle. They caught me off guard and now this little vampire was acting as if we've known each other forever. Or maybe I was just projecting, but damn it, I was scared. They had the advantage. I didn't even have my gun; it would give me a slight advantage of range and time. Did it even still have ammo?

The burly one, Emmett, bounded up the steps and got in my face so quickly I pushed myself into Jasper's chest without thinking. What was I doing? If one of their own attacked me, they wouldn't stop them—like the blond guy would protect me. I straightened up and stared him right in the eyes. He grinned, his pale face lighting up with the childish addition of dimples.

"You're kinda scrawny for the badass described to us," he said.

"Joke all you want I can still put the final nail in your coffin," I hissed.

"I wasn't aware we slept in coffins, I thought we didn't sleep at all!" he laughed. "You're funny. I like you, Bella. Hope you stick around for a while, liven up the house a bit."

I couldn't say the same.

Carefully, like he was a live gun, I stepped around Jasper to get back to the kitchen. Now that I had company my appetite was pretty much nonexistent, but I didn't want to waste the food. My poor chicken Caesar salad would have to wait—and I was really hungry, too!

Alice appeared at the sink, the knife clattering onto the stainless steel. I jumped and turned to find her frowning.

"I'm sorry if we ruined your day," she sighed. "I thought Carlisle might have told you about us with your condition."

Condition? What was that supposed to mean, and should I be insulted?

"He talked about you guys a lot," I replied. Not like I cared to remember anything he said. "I didn't expect you to just randomly show up; honestly, I thought you were in Canada or something. He said you all went away for a while, never mentioned when you might be back."

"That's odd. Oh, do you need any help? We're all skilled in culinary arts, you know, we host dinner parties quite often. My specialty is baking. I like to make cookies for Carlisle's patients; the smiles on their faces make all the gruesome taste tests worth it."

I stared with open puzzlement as I put the chicken back in the freezer. What was she doing? I didn't care what she did in her free time, actually I didn't care to know a single thing about her so why was she making small talk?

"Would you mind if I made you something?" she asked innocently. "How do you feel about red velvet cake?"

"No thank you, I lost my appetite."

The kitchen was cleaned with Alice's constant monologue as my soundtrack. She couldn't take a hint! Aside from screaming in her face I was doing everything to show I wasn't interested. She kept going, often asking my opinion of something. Only when I left the kitchen did she start to slow down.

I went to the living room to find the siblings already settled in on the sofa watching . . . cartoons? Who cares. I didn't even bother to ask, just went straight for the stairs. The guestroom was the place I could get away from them. Emmett called after me as I ran up the steps, tripping on the last one. Laughter erupted from below but I didn't kiss the floor as I expected. A strong hand was wrapped around my arm. I looked up into dark gold eyes and immediately fought to get loose.

"Let go of me!" I screamed. His hand grew tighter the more I fought. "Get your claws off of me!"

He set me firmly on the landing before letting me go. "What is wrong with you?" he yelled back. "Is it so hard to thank someone?"

"I don't thank vampires!"

"Edward," Alice called from downstairs. It had a warning under it, the kind parents used with their misbehaving children.

So he was the one who saved me? I was thankful, but I wasn't thanking him. I tried to slow my breathing—I felt infected, a vampire touched me!—and turn toward the guestroom but his glare rooted me in my place. Only after Alice called for him again did he drop his eyes to the steps. I ran for my room.

At nine o'clock there was a knock at the door. I knew who it was; he came home hours ago and I'd been surprised he didn't check on me earlier. I told him to come in although I still felt ridiculous giving him permission to enter a part of his house.

The good vamp came through the door with a smile and peace offering, my salad.

"Ah, so she is still here," he said to himself.

I rolled my eyes and stretched my legs. "I'm the only thing with a pulse in this house," I said, accepting the offered plate. It looked even better than when I was fantasizing about it.

"I see you met my children. How are you getting along?"

"Peachy." They stayed downstairs, they didn't bother me at all. Yeah, we got along perfectly. "Did you kill all of them?"

"What a rude question. I should know better by now, what with your stubbornness, how brash you are." He chuckled as he moved towards his usual spot. Apparently he was staying for dinner conversation. Oh goody.

"How could you condemn those kids? I thought you were a—and I use this term lightly—'good' guy. Are they accidents of your bloodlust?"

"They were dying," he answered simply.

"Oh sure, great answer." I scoffed and speared a piece of grilled chicken, popping it into my mouth. Delicious as always. "Like that actually makes it better."

"How do you see that as a bad thing? I gave them a second chance at life."

"You stole their souls like a monster from a perverted fairytale! There was a reason they were dying and you interfered. What does that say about you?"

"It says I'm a good man. There was no reason why those children were dying. Why else would I happen to be in the right place at the right time? Someone wanted me to save them."

I munched on the crisp lettuce while I thought up a good enough retort. There wasn't one. He always did this, leading me into these minefields, and on an empty stomach it wasn't fair. He killed those children and that's that.

"You're not as flawless as you think you are," I told him.

He laughed, slouching further in the chair. "I never thought I was; I know what I am and what it means for my eternal soul. My family understands and accepts it also."

"You don't have a soul."

"This again? How about we agree to disagree and let that subject be? We'll never persuade each other differently."

"Whatever," I huffed.

He was quiet as I finished my salad and downed the unopened bottle of water. What else was there to say to him? Our conversations constantly went in circles; the days we spoke I accused him of being dead and he left me alone. It was a tiring dance. Honestly, I was ready to get back amongst the humans. These undeads were driving me insane.

When I was settled back on the bed, my stomach one happy camper, Carlisle asked, "So how do you plan to get to your checkpoint?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, but my hand tugged on the sleeve hiding the address, anyway.

"It's obvious you want to get out of here already, and judging by your actions, I think I can confidently send you back out in the world. I saw the address when you took the plate. Writing it on your arm so no one could steal it—very interesting."

"Do you know where it is?"

"By Rose City Park, about thirty minutes away."

"That's by driving?"

"Anything else will take you over an hour. It's close to where I work, I could drop you off at a bus station, then it's just a short ride."

"I don't know." Riding with a vamp? Definitely not my thing.

"It's important you get there, right? Your operation is already behind schedule, a few minutes saved is a good thing. Just think about it." He stood and came to the bed, taking the plate with him to the door. "I leave at six, you can tell me then. Until that time, we'll be downstairs if you want to come socialize." The door closed with a soft click.

Ride with a vampire who killed innocents to make a family? Just because he saved my life didn't mean I had to trust him. It didn't change the fact that he was a vampire, that he should be dead, that he was evil. But a half hour with one vampire was looking a lot better than days with a house full. At least I knew Carlisle's mannerisms a little; I didn't think he would attack me. I would feel better with a gun in my hands.

I sighed and pulled the blanket over my head. The laughter downstairs seemed incredibly loud in the stillness of the room. How could they act like a normal family? It was disgusting.

_If only the world would disappear._


	6. Vampires Are Still Evil!

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga_, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

++-++-++**  
**

_So here's another installment. I'm not sure anyone will like this chapter but the story has to keep moving forward,  
and Carlisle's conversations seem to be a good way to do it. Actually I just really like Carlisle.  
Okay, enjoy, and leave me your opinions--good or bad, I love them and will reply to them!_

++-++-++

My eyes bore into the blue light of the alarm clock someone had so conveniently placed on the table sometime during the night. I think it was around four, that's when I heard the door click closed, and couldn't sleep after that. Of course I knew they didn't sleep but knowing one of them had been here while _I_ was asleep? Didn't like any part of that. They could have bit me! I'd almost jumped out of bed to check but that meant I had to go across the hall to the bathroom. I didn't feel like stepping outside the room while I was half asleep.

Listening to the house during the night had been odd. I lay in bed running my fingers over my neck, arms and legs as quiet voices and video games went off outside the door. Around four-thirty-ish I heard a piano softly singing from downstairs; I saw it once when I was exploring, a huge black Steinway sitting at the back of the den, and had played it when everyone was gone. I wasn't good but Renee had forced me to take lessons until I did what all my friends did—whined and begged until she caved and stopped taking me. I couldn't even remember how to play a simple nocturne. Whoever was playing then had impeccable skill, and I shouldn't have been surprised seeing as how I was surrounded by "perfect" beings, and having a million-billion years to exist gave plenty of time to practice perfection.

It was soothing for a while, I think I fell asleep between one song and the next, but then the music became angry and I was shot right back to awareness.

Now the clock said it was five twenty-eight in the morning and footsteps went back and forth in front of my door; if I didn't know any better I'd say someone was pacing. They disappeared down the stairs with the next minute. It was probably Carlisle collecting his things for the day. I remembered when Charlie was up at the crack of dawn, had a cup of coffee with the morning paper, and cleaned his gun before going into the station—but not without kissing my head and ruffling my hair goodbye. Those days seemed so far away. Poor Charlie had quit the force when things started to get bad; the vamps made it almost impossible for the police to do their jobs.

The second the clock shifted to five thirty a soft knock sounded on the door. "Bella, are you awake?" Alice whispered.

"Yeah, I'm awake, Alice," I groaned. Awake and grumpy—this was going to be a fun day. I hated how I could identify them by voice, and that I remembered and used their names. Time around these vamps was definitely bad for me. "Come in."

Light from the hallway barely lit the room and her small silhouette leaned against the frame. "I'm turning on the light; close your eyes." I didn't and almost regretted it when the harsh light flickered on overhead, causing me to flinch. My eyes adjusted in time to see Alice smiled, moving into the room cautiously. I noticed out of all the Cullen siblings, from what little time I spent with them, that she seemed uncomfortable around me; she was careful with what she said, even if she talked a lot, and every motion she made was deliberate and she made sure I could see it before it happened. Perhaps Alice was just being mindful of my "condition," as she so nicely called it.

I hated vampires—I wasn't scared of them.

"How was your night?" she asked kindly. "Did you sleep well?"

I sat up in bed running my fingers through my hair to flatten it, knowing it would be a mess from my tossing and turning. "Can't complain, I guess. Still alive, right?"

"I'm sorry you feel that way, we're really not that bad. Maybe if we had met before all this we could be really good friends, you know?"

"No thanks; even without vamps in Forks, I think we're too different to be friends." Shut up and get to the point. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Oh, right. I just wanted to let you know that Carlisle is waiting for you in his study. He said he had something important to give you before he left, and the offer to ride with him still stands."

My heart fluttered at the thought of getting my gun back. Finally! "I'll go see what he wants then."

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, that uneasy smile still on her face. What was she thinking? Did I really want to know? I'd rather stay out of a vamps mind; there was no telling what kind of nightmarish scenes lurked there. "One more thing, Bella; what happened with your friend Seth, it wasn't your fault. The vampire had a sure grip on him, you couldn't get past him."

That fluttery feeling I'd had? Yeah—gone. My heart sank into my stomach and I could feel my face turning white. "What are you talking about? How do you know about that?"

"I know a lot of things I'd rather not, but when you don't ask for this you can't choose what you get."

My hands fisted the blanket. "Carlisle killed you, didn't he?"

"What? No! Oh no, no, no you've got it all wrong! Me and Jasper—no, we weren't—that's to say . . . no, of course not. But we're talking about Seth, not me. If you keep your hopes up and an ear to the ground, I think he might still be alive out there somewhere. You survived worse, after all. Anyway, go see Carlisle, he's expecting you." With that she ran out the door, closing it behind her.

Didn't kill her, huh? Why else would she get defensive if that was the case? She didn't even want to enter into this life and he forced her to. I guess I could feel a little sorry for Alice, having to adjust to an odd life without asking for it. I'd kill myself before I ever became a vampire.

But giving me false hope about Seth was unforgivable. He was dead, he wasn't coming back, and I had to accept that fact. Letting a little vampire lie to me about my friend—what on earth was I thinking? I could have at least punched her for it . . . if I knew I wouldn't break my hand in the process.

I sighed and crawled out of bed, stretching my arms over my head. I had to admit, I liked this bed a lot more than I liked my own; it was way more comfortable than what I had in Forks and Jacksonville combined.

Last night, while I was cramming the pillow over my head to block out the deafening piano, I decided I would accept Carlisle's offer to leave me at a bus station. Sneaking on shouldn't be a problem, right? So many people rode buses I could easily slip into the crowd. When I got to the Black's house I'd have no problem with money. I just wanted to get to California and get the gear waiting for me; it was about time I got back to Forks and put a few more kills under my belt. Maybe make a necklace out of shrunken vampire heads.

Five minutes later I was feeling refreshed after washing my face and brushing my teeth in the immaculate bathroom, my hair was tamed into a loose ponytail, and I was dressed and raring to go. All that remained was to get my gun back.

I stood in Carlisle's study while he taunted me about my gun. He already returned my shoulder holster, which I quickly slid into, feeling nearly complete. Where my gun was, however, I was still guessing. I turned this house inside out several times yet never found it. He had to have carried it on him when he left the house.

Carlisle was sitting behind his desk with his usual pleasant smile on his face while I stood across from him, too uncomfortable to sit. The house's color scheme stretched into this room making it feel large and comfortable yet the walls were swallowed by the sheer amount of books he collected over the years. I suppose when time means nothing you can do whatever you want, including reading books for all time.

What a waste of a life.

"So are we just wasting time before we have to leave or are you going to give my gun back?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest, tugging on the familiar old leather.

"I must say I'm surprised you even agreed to ride with me," he answered.

"Lesser of two evils, what more can I say?"

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, and gave me that look that said he was about drag me through another minefield. Yeah, I already had his mannerisms memorized; it would help if he tried to attack me. Old vamp or not, I wouldn't be intimidated by him. "It's not only physical protection why you carry that gun, is it?"

"What are you talking about now?" I huffed.

"At any time you could have run out of here, there are plenty of other guns out there just like the one you carry. Why do you cling to this one? It doesn't have anything to do with the initials on it, does it?"

I tightened my arms around myself. This thing was too observant. "So you studied it, dusted for fingerprints? Is that why you're keeping it?"

"I kept it because I knew you wouldn't leave without it; it was the only way to make sure you healed. Also, I didn't want any accidents for either party. If you shot yourself in my care, well, it would be very disappointing and disturbing."

He thought I was weak enough I'd turn to suicide? I never once thought of it. Maybe if I was held captive by a different vamp I'd consider it, but I was too afraid to do it myself. What if I messed up and had to live with the injury? Besides, I killed vampires, not humans.

"My grandfather bought that gun with every intention of hunting vampires," I answered reluctantly. "They got him before he could fire a shot."

"They weren't in rule then. Why would he hunt vampires?"

"Isn't it obvious? They've always been around! Before the takeover they left bodies lying around, they attacked humans with no reason and had no repercussions. Thinking about it, I hate to admit it, but it is a little better now that the vamps have someone to keep them under control. We're still cattle but as far as I know it's illegal in their laws to kill someone not under their protection or without the human attacking first."

"A shame. Don't misunderstand, it's wonderful when vampires are not attacking humans, but the ruthlessness is uncalled for." Carlisle shook his head and stood, going to the cupboard behind his desk. I looked in there before; it was nothing but more books. He pulled a burnt leather book from the shelf, peeled open the crackling pages and pulled out my gun from the hollow space. I balked.

"It was there the whole time?" I shrieked.

He grinned. "I left my study unlocked on purpose so you wouldn't suspect it was here. Didn't you ever think to check? I expected more from you."

"I did, I searched high and low and even considered checking the books but, come on, there's entirely too many here."

"I know," he chuckled. He held out my gun, butt first, and I snatched it from his hands. I ran my fingers lovingly over the grooves and slick black matte paint; it used to be a shiny silver, but that reflects light. I popped the magazine to find it full, the same one I loaded before, and slid it into its spot under my right arm. It was like the lost piece of my soul had been returned and I nearly smiled with how good I felt.

"A Smith & Wesson 9VE, polymer frame, correct?" he asked.

"Yeah. It used to be in terrible shape but Dad refurbished the whole thing. It's like a brand new gun."

"It's very nice but I don't think it will kill a vampire. You need something with a bigger kick."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Think I don't know that? I'm on my way to get something that'll blow 'em all up. Do you have any suggestions?" Honestly, I didn't know what was waiting for me in California, I just know that our dealer set aside grade A weapons for me at Charlie's insistence. I hoped it was a flamethrower. Poof! Crispy vampire!

"My hands are tied here, weapons are not my specialty. I couldn't even tell how to kill a vampire."

_What a liar; vampires know their own weaknesses,_ I thought. Before I could call him on it, Esme's voice floated up the stairs. "Carlisle, you'll be late."

"Coming, dear," he said with a grin. "Well, shall we go, Bella?"

++-++-++

The ride was tense and uncomfortable—or maybe it was just me. Carlisle seemed completely at ease in his dark Mercedes. Perhaps it was only me that was uncomfortable with the tinted windows and classical tunes, not to mention the fact I was sitting in a car with a vampire behind the wheel. Was this his last ditch effort? He could wrap this sucker around a tree and kill me, walking away from the scene without a scratch. Was I really convinced he was trying to kill me after the week and a half I spent in his house, perfectly safe? Maybe a little. But vampires are obnoxious like that.

They get into your head with their compulsion ability, take you off guard, and then when you think they're your friend—bam! They kill you. At least I had my gun back, safety off and protective latch unsecured. On the bad side I smelled like a vampire. I couldn't walk around in public with my gun in sight so I was offered a coat; unfortunately all the coats in my closet were too tight and showed the bulge under my arm. Alice stole one of Edward's coats much to his—and mine—disgust. But we were similar in build—meaning I wasn't bulky like Emmett or as tall as Jasper, and everything Alice had was too tiny, and the blond I only saw in passing was too skinny—and the coat hid my gun well while I could easily get to it. I couldn't complain.

What would Billy Black say when I showed up smelling like a vamp? Sure, not many people could smell it, or sometimes it was incredibly pleasing to their weak minds, but when your life depended on being able to spot a monster you quickly picked up on small things like that. Being from the rez, he was especially aware of everything about vampires, and he'd probably put me on lockdown to make sure I hadn't gone undead or turned into a bloodwhore. I shuddered just thinking about it. Why would anyone willingly do such a thing? Knowing there were people out there giving themselves up made me sick. It had to stop.

I laid my head back and sighed. This thirty minute joy ride seemed like an eternity. I didn't even know if he was going the right way; I only had a single address to go on. Maybe I would be better off walking around in a pitch black box. Yeah, definitely have a better sense of direction there.

"It's not much further," Carlisle said. "You'll see the hospital in a matter of seconds and the bus station is just beyond it."

As he said that we finally broke out of the wooded area and into the large city of Portland. It was a little brighter out of the trees but it seemed incredibly overpopulated; everywhere I looked there was a house or store, people flooded the sidewalks. Were we in New York by mistake?

"I don't even have bus fare," I said. "How easy do you think it will be to slip onto the bus?"

"No need to worry, I have it covered. Esme and I made you a little thank you gift last night."

"Gift? Thanks for what?"

He chuckled as he expertly maneuvered around cars parked on the road, squeezing into areas I thought his car was too big to fit. It kind of reminded me of Mike, except he would be going twice the speed limit and against the flow of traffic, laughing all the way. "Thanks for not killing us, of course. You are a fearsome vampire hunter, after all, and we are but lowly targets. At any time you could have destroyed us."

I crossed my arms over my chest in a defiant pout. "That's not funny. I couldn't hurt you if I tried, not to mention I'd have to fight through your fledglings in order to get to you. There's no way they'd stand off to the side while their master was in danger."

"Those are very strong accusations for a young girl. How much do you know about vampires, Bella?"

"I know that you're killers, you all fight a bloodlust, you take bloodwhores and create Renfields', you make fledglings, and you're constantly trying to move up the social ladder to gain a higher power while I'm assuming territory goes with it. I know you don't fear sunlight, holy water has no effect against you, bullets only incapacitate when shot in the heart or head, and even thinking garlic can do something means that'll be the first human dead. Did I about cover it, besides the whole being a thousand times stronger and faster than us thing?"

With each word out of my mouth I watched his eyebrows rise higher and higher on his forehead until they nearly touched his hairline. Apparently he wasn't aware that living on the frontlines will teach a human a lot about their enemy; maybe he thought I was stupider than I looked, which was what I usually counted on from a vamp. Having them underestimate me was what made me stronger than them. It wasn't all about physical strength.

A large tan building stretched against the sky in the middle of the town. It looked like every other hospital on earth with its high walls and hundreds of windows, nice courtyard though; there was one in Seattle that could be its twin, but this one was called Legacy Emanuel Hospital. It had to be Carlisle's job.

"Is that where you work?" I asked, trying to shift the conversation to make him more comfortable. A childish question seemed the best way to do it.

He smiled, relaxing. "Yes, that is where I'm currently working. So far it's been two years since we came to Portland and we've had a better experience here then anywhere else. I'll be a little sad to leave this area, but I'm always upset I have to leave my patients in the hospital."

"What age are you masquerading?"

"I was thirty-seven when I moved here, Esme was thirty-three; all our children are adopted."

I scoffed. "You don't look a day over twenty-four." I slapped my hand over my mouth, wishing with every fiber of my being I could take that back. Did I just compliment a vampire? Without thinking? "S-so how old are you really?"

"That's for me to know, and you to never guess. I assure you I'm old enough that I could . . . I could fly if I so choose!" He laughed at his stupid joke by himself; there was no way I was slipping up again, and the thought of flying vampires wasn't exactly funny. Try more like scary.

Carlisle brought the Mercedes to a stop next to a curb and turned to me with a smile. "I suppose this is where we say goodbye."

I looked out the window to find he hadn't dropped me off at a bus station but a bus _stop_. I turned to him with an expression that got the point across very clearly. He said bus station, I say what the hell?

"This isn't a bus station, it's a stop," I said irritably. "I could be standing there for hours."

"Do you have that little faith in me after this past week? You are a strange one, indeed. Here, I have something for you, Bella." He reached into the pocket on his door and produced a small blue velvet pouch tied with a golden ribbon. He held it out for me and I snatched it from his hand, all the while glaring at him.

I carefully pulled it open away from my face—just in case, anything could have been inside—but when nothing happened, I peered into the pouch to find . . . money. Carlisle continued to give me his patient smile when I asked, "What is this?"

"A gift from Esme and myself, I told you that. She was worried about you and wanted to send something small with you, just to make sure you get where you're going."

"I won't accept this." I tied the pouch up and set it on the console between the seats.

"I insist, Bella, please take it with you. You don't even have to thank me for it, but you need the bus fare anyway, and our number is in there incase you ever need anything. We're happy to help you whenever you may need us."

_He really thinks I need his help? Us humans can take care of ourselves! _That was my first reaction, but then I remembered exactly what he was and how it could possibly be used. He was an old vampire who had a big coven and lived undisturbed by the rest of his race. Was he that respected, or was he a laughing stock because of his diet? The other vamps could see him as a disgrace to their world and that's why they never bothered with him.

I shook my head and grabbed the pouch, stuffing it into the pocket of the coat. The money could come in handy; I'd tear up the number when I was on the bus. Dad would be so disappointed to know I accepted anything from a vampire, especially money.

"You're welcome, Bella," Carlisle said sincerely. "Esme and I were happy to have you this past week. I hope we'll see you again on much better terms."

I popped the door open, letting the cool fresh air into the stuffy interior, and stopped myself from jumping out. "What stop do I need?" I asked.

"You want to wait until the third stop, it'll drop you off in front of an auto shop, follow the road south, that's towards the shop's garage, and Hancock is the first street."

Towards the garage, got it. I mustered up all the sarcasm I'd withheld in the past week and threw it in his face. "Well, it's been oodles of fun staying with your family but I'm afraid we're just too different to carry on, so I guess the next time I'll be seeing you is if you're unfortunate enough to be staring down the barrel of my pistol."

"Or one of the nice big guns you'll receive in California," he supplied dryly.

"Yeah, or that. See you around, Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Good luck to you, Isabella Swan."

I wasn't going to ask how he knew my whole name, but instead went for something that I was a little more curious about. After pulling myself out of the car, I bent to see his face and asked, "Five hundred twenty-nine?"

He laughed. "Too far, Bella. You might get it one day."

I slammed the door and waited for the Mercedes to pull away before sitting in the glass shelter. The bus appeared barely fifteen seconds later.


	7. Amis

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga_, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_Hey everyone, ready for story time? First let me just say how amazed I am at the response I've been getting about CV--I am truly amazed! I know it doesn't have many reviews yet but all the story alert and favorite story emails I've been getting have really brightened my mood about this. If you all enjoy it, I will do my very best to make the narration seem more natural (this originally started as third-person) and keep churning out chapters. Thank you everyone!  
Also, don't forget that if you don't like a certain part of the story, just leave me a review and tell me about it. I won't yell at you or get defensive, but I will try to improve on that part.  
Sorry for the long A/N! Enjoy your weekly dose of Cauchemar Vivant!_

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Carlisle said the bus would stop at an auto shop and true to his word I was standing in front of a tire center. Seeing such a busy town despite the early hour was surprising to me, a genuine case of culture shock. Sure, I'd been to Seattle plenty of times in my childhood, but even then everything was kept under careful control. The people in Portland were loud and so energetic it was refreshing! No one was afraid here, no one had an evil angel lurking over their shoulders; they sat around just being themselves.

The last time I went to Seattle, maybe three months before the escape, the only noise in the streets were car engines and birds; walking into a coffee shop had the familiar calls of orders and murmured conversations, but there was always an underlying tension. I wasn't sure exactly what people talked about in Seattle but I know whenever Jessica was ordered to go out after school, she grabbed me, and all we talked about was her protector. I never even saw the vamp but every time I saw Jess she looked paler and her neck was always covered in fresh bruises, a few silver scars already visible. Despite her constant donation she was never any thinner; he had to make sure she kept up appearances, after all.

Portland was a wonderful fairytale to my ears. People gossiped, people yelled, they pushed past me on their cell phones, car horns blared and I saw several people lugging musical instruments around. It was only six o'clock in the morning yet already it was so lively.

I made my way towards Hancock with a small smile on my lips. The city was barely lit, I was walking down a sidewalk bright with headlights and streetlights, the sky partly clouded but the coming indigo still visible. No stars, though, it was too bright. Around my neighborhood in Forks, with its missing streetlight, when the clouds cleared, you could see everything in the sky—stars, planets, satellites, comets mistaken for shooting stars. I used to spend the night at Seth's house on the rez with his friends, and whenever the sky was clear we'd go to the beach, build a bonfire and listen to old Quileute legends. We'd fall asleep on the warm sand during one tale or another and wake up snug as could be in a big pile at Sue's home. Then in the morning we would get a huge pancake breakfast, stuffing our guts full of Sue's chocolate chip pancakes.

What happened to those days of innocence? Why did we have to grow up and become aware of the nightmares that surrounded us? When I was little I worried enough about my first zit and getting a job—sure, throw some vampires into the mix. Just what we all needed.

Northeast Hancock Street wasn't even awake. I stood at the corner of the street and stared down the road, taking in the sights. Cars were parked along the road instead of in their empty driveways, trees grew without a care, the heavy limbs laying on rooftops and scraping windows; some were so far over the houses I wondered how many birds nested there to get the best view of the city. The houses were mostly one-story, squat and built into a hill on one side. It was . . . amazing. I loved the atmosphere of it all, kind of like home.

I stood under a streetlight, pulling back the sleeve of the coat to read the faded address. At least I was in the right area. I followed the street with the house number repeating in my head. It had to be down this row.

At the opposite end of the block, there on the hill side of the street, was a quaint little red house. It kind of resembled a barn if only it was bigger, but just like the rest of the houses it had one story. I checked the number on the mailbox three times before climbing the steps, anxiety bubbling in my stomach. I wasn't afraid of any of our contacts, we were all in this together after all, but Billy was Quileute, which meant he was basically a super soldier. Because of their legends they were ready to fight against anything and he would surely recognize the smell of a preserved corpse on me.

I took a deep breath and pushed the doorbell, almost wishing everyone in the house was a heavy sleeper. Why was I even here? I had enough money to buy myself a ticket to California, and I could probably bum a few bucks off our dealer to get back to Washington. My mind made up, I turned and was on the second step when I heard the house shift and the door creak open.

Turning back around, I was met with a wide bronze chest and measly pair of boxers. The guy was huge, and ripped, and made me feel entirely way too small. It couldn't be Billy, could it? He didn't look like a Billy to me—William I could believe, but not Billy.

He wiped his hand over his face and gave me a lazy, lopsided smile. "Can I help you, little lady?"

I bristled at what he assumed was cute and was tempted to show him I was more than just a _little lady_, but then I remembered I only had ten shots and there was no way I could take that guy hand-to-hand. So I stayed firmly on my stair as I watched his black eyes travel over my form then immediately straighten up in a defensive posture. _Crap, can't pretend I'm the Avon lady now._

"I'm looking for Billy Black, does he live here?" I asked.

"Who wants to know?" His voice was colder now, his entire demeanor changed in an instant. He must've realized the tiny bulge under my arm.

"Bella." Simple enough; if it was a trap, I was only a girl named Bella, not Charlie Swan's daughter, not part of the resistance group that successfully escaped Forks, Washington. Plain old boring Bella.

My name seemed to set something off in his mind. He relaxed again and gave a brighter smile, every part of him coming to life. "Bella! Old Quil told us you were coming by. How have you been?" He waved a hand in front of his face. "Whew! Has anyone recently told you that you reek?"

Yeah, definitely Quileute super senses. I stepped onto the porch and he recoiled, hand covering his mouth and nose. "Sorry, it's the jacket. Had to hide my gun somehow."

"Spoil of war, I get it. From that monster who tried to kill you, huh?"

I nodded mutely. Sure, let that story go around, it was better than admitting the truth. Heck, _any_ story was better than the truth.

"Well get on in here," he said as he stepped aside. "Your dad is waiting on you."

I brushed past his warm chest on my way into the house. Stepping through the door I was immediately standing in the living room; loveseat, a couch, a rocking chair, TV sitting inside an entertainment stand surrounded by DVDs, all the usual. The only thing on the walls in this part was a single piece of artwork by the window. It was small but not cramped; it was really homely with its white walls and blue carpet.

No pictures, no separate personality—that was a big rule. My dad didn't even have a picture of me, his only little girl, in his wallet like most fathers. Photos were a runaway's worst enemy.

The big man shut and locked the door before motioning me further into the house. Off the living room was the kitchen, and beyond that was a hall of doors, but we didn't even get that far because sitting at the table with a cup of coffee was my dad. I couldn't help grinning at the sight of him. He was alive, without a scratch, and happy to see me, too.

"Hey kiddo, congrats on the second life," he said affectionately. "How are you feeling?"

I ran to give him a hug, just to make sure he was real, and he indulged me for a second but Charlie was never one for public affection and gently pushed me away. "So much better now that I know you're okay. I thought since you took the Bloodmobile they wouldn't stop chasing you until you were dead. Hey, what did you do with that thing, anyway?"

"Set it on the state line rigged with C-4. Starting up the engine certainly gave them an explosive surprise."

I laughed. Yeah, Charlie was hardcore like that. Detonating C-4 in a public area was dangerous, especially if he did it with people around, but it would burn the vampires nicely. Blow them into smithereens and fry up all the pieces. Depending how much Charlie used, and knowing him it had to be a nice pile, I'd say we had a few less vampires to worry about.

The floor shuddered and before I had a chance to blink I was pinned to the wall by two hands. One foot dangled in the air while I had just enough time to pull the other up, slamming it into his stomach, but it didn't stop him; he was so close my knee brushed my chest.

I wasn't the only one who reacted to the man. Charlie was out of his chair, his .44 magnum pointing dead center at the guy's temple.

My captor was as furious as he was tired; the darkness of his skin did nothing to hide the bags under his eyes. I wasn't sure if he was attacking me because I was loud and he was trying to sleep or if we had an old rivalry, although I'm pretty sure I'd remember meeting someone as big as him. He was as big and muscled as the guy I first saw, they could have been twins with their body types and close shaved hair.

"Put my daughter down, Paul," Charlie said carefully. It was his cop voice, the one that talked bank robbers into releasing their hostages and giving themselves up. I wasn't sure it would work on this guy.

"Your daughter, the one you claimed was a cold-blooded killer, is a fucking vampire?" he growled. His arms shook but not with the effort to hold me on the wall. This guy seriously hated vampires, and for one second I was a little worried he would hurt me.

I pushed the fear away and replaced it with anger. "Do I look dead to you?" I asked, wishing I could get my foot onto his chest instead of pushing against his stomach. It wasn't doing anything except cramping my leg. "You either put me down or get a bullet through your brain." Or worse. I was pretty sure that .44 could blow his head into little pieces.

"You smell like a vampire, and yeah, you look a little pale to me."

"If I was a vampire I'd have crushed your head by now. It's the jacket, numb nuts, let me go."

"Oh a spunky vampire, what luck! Makes killing them a challenge." His hands tightened infinitesimally around my shoulders and I might've imagined it, but there was a distinct pop and a flash of pain raced up my neck and down my arm.

Charlie noticed, and he wasn't happy. He holstered his gun and disappeared behind the big guy. One meaty thud later, Paul bowed backwards, yelling in pain and released me. I dropped onto my abused, bony butt and rolled out of the way as he turned for Charlie.

I was nearly run over by a man in a wheelchair who seemed just as aggravated as the rest of us.

"Paul, what are you doing? Do you know what time it is?" he asked. He didn't even raise his voice but Paul immediately stopped his attack. "It's six o'clock in the morning, go back to sleep. You need it."

"I can't sleep with a vampire in the house," he replied tersely. Tremors were still racing through his body but he pulled himself upright, out of an offensive position to face the new man.

The man in the wheelchair looked down at me, and I was almost sure I met him somewhere before, but I couldn't place it. Was this Billy? Wait, Billy Black . . . Billy? . . . no wonder the name seemed familiar! This was Jacob's dad! When I visited Charlie over summer vacation he took me to the reservation where I used to play with Jacob and Seth, the whole gang, but when I moved to Forks I learned Jacob and his dad moved some years before. Huh. I guess I forgot about them with all the chaos of my life.

Billy drummed his fingers on the chair arm. "Are you blind? It's Bella, not a vampire." He offered me a hand up and I carefully pulled myself to my feet. "Look at how much you've grown. I'd never guess you're the same clumsy girl I used to know."

I rotated my shoulder with a grimace; a little uncomfortable but otherwise manageable, which was good because I was over being hurt for a while. "I'm not the same girl. I haven't tripped over my feet for a few weeks, at least."

He laughed, the guy by the sink chuckling as well. Was that . . . Jacob? No way. He was about as scrawny as Seth the last time I saw him, and he said he was growing his hair out. But it had been years since I last saw him, things change in a blink of the eye, so he probably had it chopped for better managing. Wow, he looked so incredibly different.

Paul punched the wall with enough force to shake the house and add a nice gaping hole in the drywall. Billy voiced his agitation but Paul was already running out the door, leaving yet another mark as the door slammed against the wall. I stared after him, Jacob went to close the door, and turned to Charlie with all the questions I wanted to ask right on my face.

"Paul has some anger management problems, that's all," he answered. "He doesn't like strangers, and you _do_ smell like a vampire."

"It's true." Jacob came back to the kitchen with a sheepish grin. "When you came knocking I thought I was talking to a vampire for a second, but then I knew it was you, just before you told me. I mean, who can forget Bella Swan?"

"Uh-huh," I agreed awkwardly. I could easily forget. I was boring, normal Bella—well, used to be. Then I became vampire hunter Swan. "But maybe I need some introductions around the room, just so I know who I'm working it. I remember you, Billy, but this guy I'm not so sure. Are you who I think you are?"

Charlie laughed an all-out belly laugh. I'd never heard him laugh like that. What was so funny? He plopped back into his chair and sipped his coffee before replying, "I said the same thing when I first saw him. Doesn't look a thing like that scrawny Jacob, does he?"

Oh my god, it was really him! I stared, jaw on the floor, as my eyes traveled up and down what had become Jacob Black. The young boy I knew had blossomed into a six-foot-something wall of muscle with perfect abs. His face had a hint of the old Jacob, those high cheek bones and almond shaped eyes, but his jaw was sharper, squarer, and there was a certain maturity to his face that I only saw in my friends faces having been through a bad fight. Jacob hadn't been in Forks for a _long_ time, he didn't deserve that kind of weight in his eyes.

I kept myself from hugging him—I was excited to see my childhood friend but, dang, he could crush me with those arms—by taking a seat across from Charlie at the table and instead offered a smile. "It's great to see you again, Jacob. It's been years."

"No kidding! You should've wrote or something. When I heard about the vampires I was worried about you guys. At least the boys at the rez were there to help you out."

"Sam's been a great help," Charlie answered. "He definitely knows how to take charge and get things done, same with Jared, but Paul was a little bit more of a handful than I liked. I thought we'd have to tranquilize him a few times."

"Paul's always been like that but I agree he's been getting worse recently."

"I'm worried about him. He used to be a good kid, he wasn't all that violent."

"You know what the problem is; there's nothing we can really do about it, it's all up to him. He just needs to see Sam."

"Why? What's wrong with him?" I asked.

"It's nothing you need to worry about, Bella," Billy said. "Are you hungry, thirsty?"

Avoiding topics already? I just got here and already I was kicked out of the know. "No thanks. If anything I'd rather have a shower."

"Angela's here, if you want to borrow some of her clothes, you know she'd let you," said Charlie.

Angela Weber, daughter of a pastor, was one of the most sweetest zealots you'd ever meet. She was devoted to killing all vampires thanks to her upbringing making her believe they were all demons who deserved to go back to hell. She didn't do a whole lot of the killing but she was great at undercover work. Her family was one of the few who didn't give in to a protector, and as far as I knew they all fled Forks. Hopefully none of them were hurt getting out.

"I don't want to wake her up," I replied. Although Paul might've already taken care of that with the huge commotion he made.

"Then how about you tell me about this lease on life thanks to the doctor that found you? What was his name?"

I bit my lip. What could tell them? I had a Quileute super solider standing in the room and one just outside, who openly hated vampires and was volatile; out of everyone sitting around I was confident Paul would be the one to kill me for saying I spent a week and a half with vampires, trusting them to feed me when I couldn't walk, trusting them not to kill me while I slept. I didn't kill them before I left and I accepted a gift from one—what did that say about me? Fuck.

_Lie your head off, Swan! _"Carl . . . Collins. Dr. Carl Collins from Legacy Emanuel Hospital," I answered hesitantly. "He said he found me on the side of the road. I don't remember a whole lot after I killed that vampire. Guess I made my way towards the highway and collapsed."

"Well, he'll certainly be getting a card from me for taking care of my little girl. What about Seth, was he with you?"

"Mike didn't say anything?"

"No, why?" His voice took an edge that said he knew exactly why. It's not like I could keep denying it. The more I did, the worse it would be when I had the chance to sit down and think—when all this craziness was over.

I recounted what happened on the highway, Charlie nodding along with the parts Mike and Tyler explained, yet when I described the vampire grabbing Seth, I learned they must have conveniently left that part out. For whatever reason I felt I had to defend myself for not saving him. I didn't have a clear shot after all, and Tyler was closest to join the fight. I should have crawled over the seat but it still would've pulled him out, probably in hopes one of us would follow and get flattened by traffic.

The kitchen was silent for a long time. Jacob and Billy were clearly upset but Charlie's expression was neutral as always. He perfected the cop face; he wouldn't let his emotions show no matter the situation. I sunk into my chair with a sigh. Now that the truth was out there someone had to tell Sue. Old Quil was probably hounded by her questions after our conversations, and I had been the one to let Seth . . . die, I felt it was my responsibility to tell her. She deserved to know instead of holding onto false hope her son would check in.

Billy was moving towards the phone on the wall with the hole.

"No, Billy, let me tell her," I said, jumping out of my chair.

"Why on earth would you want to do that? It's not your duty to deliver bad news," he replied with a frown.

"I know, but it's not your duty, either. I was the one who failed Seth so I should do it."

He waved a hand at me, shooing me away. "Don't be ridiculous. You're just a girl and there was nothing you could do; you didn't want to shoot him, you didn't fail him. Jake, take her and get her some clothes."

Jacob immediately took my arm and pulled me down the hall of doors. I struggled with every step but his grip was tight, all those muscles effectively dragging me despite my heels digging into the floor. He pushed me into the third door on the right, turned on the light, and slammed the door. I took in my surroundings—a usual guy room, complete with messy bed and gaming system, not to mention blue walls—before turning back to Jacob. He was leaning against the door looking as uncomfortable as I felt.

When had I ever been alone in a guy's room? Probably two months ago, talking strategy with Mike. How embarrassing was it that I could be naked in front of three guys but feel completely out of place standing with a guy who I haven't seen since I was seven, and we were both dressed? Well, I was dressed. Those boxers really couldn't pass as suitable clothing.

"Um. . . ." I failed to think of anything to say. What was there? I just came from a vampire's house, showed up on the porch of an old friend's house, was manhandled by an enraged human, told my dad one of my childhood friends died, and now the awkward tension in the room was threatening to crush me. Jake knew Seth from yesteryears, he had to be feeling down about the news, so maybe that's why he was reacting so slowly.

"Clothes, right. Sorry. I'll get them, you stay here. Angela won't mind," he said robotically. Yeah, definitely fighting off emotions.

I sighed in defeat and took a seat on his bed while he ducked out of the room. No use trying to sneak out, I could hear Billy on the phone in the kitchen. It _was _my fault, right? I had the ability to save him. He didn't have to die.

The weight of the situation pressed against my head, my temples throbbing. Trying to shake the thoughts away made them stick closer. Crushing, mocking me.

All the time we spent at First Beach, the random excursions through the woods in my backyard where we would immediately be scolded by Charlie, the time we were nearly attacked in Port Angeles for back-talking a vampire. His father's memorial, all the time I spent at his house helping the family cope. His smile, his laugh, the way he punched my shoulder like I was just one of the guys. None of it would ever happen again. He was gone.

Jake's return surprised me; I jumped at the sound of his questioning voice, "Bella, are you okay?"

I looked up into his brown eyes, saw my reflection there and immediately stood from the bed, wiping my eyes on the jacket sleeve. He caught me crying. I definitely wasn't comfortable with that.

"I'm fine," I said weakly. Clearing the emotion from my throat I tried again. "I'm fine, Jake. Did Angela care that I'm stealing her stuff?"

"Nope, she said feel free to use her toiletries too; it's all sitting in the bathroom. Here."

He held out the clothes while I tore the jacket off, letting it hit the floor. I grabbed the clothes—a pink tank top with lace around the neck and jeans, not something I would wear, but beggars can't be choosers. I kept the clothes at a distance so they wouldn't stink as bad as the rest of me and went for the door. I stopped inside the doorway, turning back to face him.

"You do laundry around here?" I asked.

"Yeah. You want those clothes washed?" he asked.

"That'd be great, thanks Jake. After all it's the only pair of underwear I have." I laughed.

He laughed uncomfortably. "Go ahead and steal one of my shirts so we can start getting the stink out of this house." Jake stepped outside the room, closed the door behind him.

I set the top and jeans on his bed and stole a shirt from his closet, unbuckling myself from the shoulder rig. He could give my gun to Charlie, who would probably inspect and clean it. I stripped out of my clothes, slid into his shirt, which was so large it almost touched the floor hanging from my shoulders, and took one last look at the jacket. That number was still in the pocket, I didn't rip it up yet. Should I get rid of it? Carlisle did help me, and he seemed sincere about ever needing his help again.

_No, no, no, bad Bella!_ I shook my head. Get that thought right out of your mind, no vampire would willingly help a human; if they did, it was no doubt a trap. I wasn't a sucker. I pulled the small pouch out of the coat pocket and turned it over in my palm. There was a good amount of money in here, we could use that, but I had to get rid of the number. They were vampires, they never had a permanent residence so why would the number be his? It probably dialed the vamp hotline—an easy way to track and attack victims.

Jake knocked on the door. "Bella, are you done in there?"

No time to think about it, guess that was my answer. With a sigh, I shoved the slip of paper into Angela's jeans and set the pouch next to my gun. They'd think the pouch was from Dr._ Collins_ so I didn't need an excuse for that, but the phone number . . . nah, they wouldn't question that either. Well, maybe Charlie, because he was suspicious like that.

I gathered the fresh clothes and opened the door, brushing past Jake—which felt more like squeezing with how big he was—into the hallway. He pointed me in the right direction and I ducked into the small bathroom, slammed the door and drew a deep breath. Keeping the number felt like betrayal. I was betraying the very people I trusted with my life by not telling them anything that happened when I was in the Cullens care. It could backfire. My friends wouldn't trust me, and that was important during this time.

No, everything would be okay. A shower makes everything better, being surrounded by live humans after a week and a half of self-exile was definitely a plus, but being around old friends was perhaps the best thing I could ask for. I had to keep moving forward, had to keep my head above the water. I'd get back to Forks and kill those monsters for Seth. Tomorrow I'd be in California surrounded by extended family and we will move for Forks, slide right under their radar, and take them out before they could blink. But for now, I could enjoy where I was. I needed something real and normal and alive. I was safe here. I'm sure Seth wouldn't mind if I rested a bit before I brought hell to the vampires.

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_Don't forget to hit that lovely review button. I love your opinions! ;)_


	8. Awkward Silences With Dad Never Get Old

**Stephenie Meyer owns the _Twilight Saga_, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_Sorry for the delay but I almost forgot what I was doing with this story! And it got a little too emotional for me at the end... this is the less emotional version.  
Wanted to wish a late Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the States; hope it was good, that you're still stuffed, and everyone traveled safely.  
Enjoy the chapter! Next week, Sacramento--after that, we're all back in Forks!_

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By noon I felt like I accomplished most of the things on my to-do list. I'd had a good nap, went shopping with Angela at the nearest convenience store for necessary toiletries, and avoided Paul at all cost. Not that I was scared of him, I just didn't want to see the glare that would mark me a _vampire girl_. He was convinced that within those few minutes I smelled like the enemy, I had become the enemy, and I really didn't need that. Seeing as how I was withholding information I _felt _like an enemy. It wasn't as if I didn't try to tell someone. During our trip into the real world, I tried to tell Angela, but each time I opened my mouth the words seemed to stick in my throat.

I couldn't tell her because I knew the minute I did, I would beg her not to tell anyone, and when the truth got out it would endanger her. Not that I was sure I was in danger of being kicked out to begin with, but I would disappoint Charlie. Heck, I was already disappointing him, he just didn't know it.

Guess I needed to learn how to keep a secret better.

If the truth did get out, and I was certain it would, especially with the way Paul eyed me on his way to his room, then not only would I be in trouble but also the Cullens'.

Wait, wait, why did I care about them? I was done with them. Carlisle nursed me back to health, saved my life, and I moved on. So why was I keeping the stupid number?

In all honestly, I had no fucking clue. Because I could use it? For what? I never wanted to see those vampires ever again. I should rip it up, burn it—I don't care how it's done, I had to do it for the safety of our group. For my safety. And I guess . . . for the Cullen's safety, as well. I hated it, but I was scared that if someone found out who the number belonged to, it would lead them straight to the Cullen household and the people who so kindly took care of me would be killed.

_No, I have to stop thinking this way! Who cares about a coven of vampires—it doesn't matter what they did for me, I'm not doing anything for them, and I'm certainly not going to see them again. Ever._ I hit my head against the wall, hopefully getting back a bit of my common sense in the process, and heaved a sigh. The number was still in my back pocket, I was still obsessing over it, and I _still_ couldn't make up my mind. I just had to get out of the house, shoot a gun, smoke a cigarette—something to get my mind off it. Maybe I could ship off to California sooner rather than later. Angela already offered to rent me space in her suitcase; the little necessities I bought today would show up a few days later. I'd get the shakes soon if I didn't have some action.

Speaking of action, where was Jake? He was around when he offered me his bed to take a nap and when I woke up two hours later he was no where to be found. He was gone for four hours and Billy showed no concern at all. That was a little fishy to me. If my kid went missing in a big city I would throw a fit and get the police involved. But Billy was sure he would come back sooner or later, and Charlie agreed with him, so who was I to worry?

"Bella, hey, are you okay?" Angela shook my shoulder gently and I snapped back to earth with a jump. She stepped back. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you but you were looking a little pale. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied with a sigh.

"Ever since you showed up you seem a little different. Have you talked to anyone about him?"

"Who? What have you heard?"

"Seth. Your dad told me about the attack. I figured you wouldn't share such personal feelings with a stranger like the doctor, but we're friends, you can talk to me."

Oh, Seth, right. Not that horrible dirty secret gnawing at the back of my head. That doesn't exist.

I shook my head. "I don't think I'm ready for that yet, Angela. Maybe after this mess if over, when I have time to sit and think, then I'll consider talking about it. Until then . . . I can't." _I can't lose this reason to fight._

She smiled gently, just like she used to back in the high school cafeteria when that boy looked at her. What was his name? He always followed her around, too afraid to actually say anything to her. If I recall he died in a car crash sometime last year. I thought that smile died right along with him.

"I understand, Bella, really. Talking about it can be hard sometimes. Just know that I'm here for you, and that my offer will be there. Take it up whenever you want."

"Thanks Angela, you're a great friend." I stood from the sofa and gave her a quick hug. Eventually I'd have to talk about it, all of it, and if I had to do it I'd definitely share with Angela. I used to share everything with her and Jessica. Lauren not so much—I stopped sharing the personal things with her after puberty hit. She was envious I had boobs while she had none, and when Lauren gets jealous she's anything but nice.

"We're all in this together, right? We all need someone to lean on once in a while. Hey, why don't you get some fresh air? Jake was going to teach me hand-to-hand combat out back, want to join?"

She had already informed me earlier that Charlie had taught her to shoot a gun, and that she wasn't at all a bad shot, but watching sweet Angela throw a punch? This I had to see. The girl wouldn't even squish an ant.

I followed her out the door in the kitchen to the surprisingly spacious yard behind the house. There was barely an incline, meaning the house had been basically built on top of the hill. The grass was stunning shades of green despite the fall season already in effect, the leaves turning colors on the trees. The brown fence stretched so far into the patch of trees that I was sure the end didn't even exist. And strangely enough, there was a giant man stretching his legs in the yard like he hadn't been missing for hours.

He stood and waved. "Mornin', Bella," he called. "How are you feeling?"

Why did everyone keep asking me that? Did I really look that bad? I thought I looked normal enough after my shower. I plopped onto one of the patio chairs sitting on the porch and said, "Just great, that power nap did wonders, thanks."

He jogged towards the porch and leaned against the wall giving me a cocky smile. "You know you're really cute when you sleep. You talk and everything."

I felt the blood rush to my face. _Talk?_ I thought I outgrew that habit. It was the number one reason why I barely went to sleepovers when I was younger; the next morning the other girls would make fun of me for mumbling my crush's name throughout the night, or some other very embarrassing thing. Oh god, what if I said something at Cullen's house? I went that whole time without thinking about it! I could have whispered plans during the night and the Cullens' could have heard.

But they never mentioned anything about my sleep talking. If I was lucky, my subconscious was smart to stay quiet in the face of potential danger.

"I d-don't know what you're talking about," I stammered, fighting hard to get the blush off my face.

"Please, no reason to be coy, you did it as a kid too. It was cute then and it's definitely cute now." He waggled his eyebrows.

Angela giggled and I tried to choke out a laugh but I wasn't convinced it was all that funny. He stretched languidly and it was then I noticed he was only wearing a pair of beat up, faded jean shorts, all those muscles rippling and glistening in the sunlight—what little there was. He was crazy going around barefoot and without a shirt in such chilly weather; fall was in the air, it was the perfect time to get sick. We weren't in California yet.

The two moved further out into the yard and the height difference between them couldn't have been more laughable. Jake towered so far over Angela's head she had to crane her neck to look up at him. I relaxed in the plastic chair as I watched him run her through basic drills and couldn't help the peace that fell over me. I wished it was a blanket that I could throw over my head whenever I wanted. It was so quiet out here even with the city just down the road, but it wasn't the usual quiet of Forks where you could hear the monsters lurking outside your window. This quiet was tranquil, the kind that was perfectly accompanied by chirping birds and babbling brook, maybe throw in some harp music for fun. Yeah, just like that.

I closed my eyes with a smile.

Maybe I didn't want to go back to Forks; maybe I wanted to stay right here in the peace and quiet. Forget everything that ever happened.

Seth's face flashed behind my eyes and I jumped out of my chair in surprise. I definitely had to get out of here. This place would drive me crazy. I wasn't meant to idle in peace, I was meant to kill. I had to find Charlie and tell him I was leaving.

"Where are you going, Bella?" Jacob called just as my hand touched the doorknob. I could've ignored him, should have, but instead I turned back around to face the giant.

"I'm going to find Charlie, continue with your lesson," I said.

"Well hold on. Do you need a refresher course? You've been out of commission for a while, you might be rusty."

I waved him off. "No thanks. I'm good."

"Then how about a little help? She's got the basics. Why not put her to the test?"

"You can't fight a vampire hand-to-hand, anyway. If they get that close, you obviously did something wrong."

Angela giggled—seriously, giggled like a five year old. This girl was planning on killing vampires? She'd be lucky if she made it ten minutes in the field.

Jake had a goofy grin on his face, the one that said he was up to no good, and I stepped away from the door. "Then how about a friendly spar?"

He couldn't be serious. Did he realize he was five heads taller than me? And about two houses wide through the upper body. He'd kill me—dislocate a bone with a simple flick of his wrist. Oh yeah, I could take him.

I jumped off the porch, stretching my arms as I joined the truck in the yard. I couldn't rely on strength here, I had to be quick and use his momentum against him. Sure, no problem at all beside the fact there was no way I could flip someone as big as him. Hopefully he didn't know how to use his body, that all his muscle was just for show.

"I think we can go one round, for demonstration purposes," I said with a smile.

"A demo, sure. Just remember who made you eat sand when we wrestled as kids. You were a wimp!" He laughed.

"Only because you cheated! Angela, you might want to watch from the porch. I have a feeling I'm going to throw this fool all around the yard."

"You get him, Bella," Angela laughed, high-fiving me as she passed.

Jake kept his feet together, his back straight with his fists loose near his face while I sunk to my usual stance; feet shoulder-length apart, right foot forward, and fists close to my face. If he was taking such an amateur stance I knew he would be no match; with a single punch I could spin him and have him on his back. Yet he could be playing me, making me believe he was only a bar brawler. I could definitely see Jake smashing stools over someone's head—that is, if anyone dared to try him.

We stood about a yard away from each other, both of us with a smirk, knowing what the other was up to. I wouldn't move and neither would he. If I moved first he could easily grab me and shove my face into the dirt. If he moved, I had the chance to jump out of the way. I stood on guard, waiting for him crack. He was getting antsy, juggling his weight from foot to foot. Just a little longer and he'd give.

He did.

Jake faked left, my fists came up, nearly blocking my sight, but I saw him throw his weight right and jumped out of the way. I felt the breeze from his right hook brush my gut. I used my momentum to make a quick roundhouse kick, hoping I could topple him with a single hit. He didn't even flinch as he blocked my foot with his arm.

As if watching in slow motion, I saw the smile spread on his face as he rushed me. It felt like I couldn't get my foot down fast enough and he tackled me onto the ground. I struggled to get out from underneath him, his muscles nearly smothering me; he even had an arm around my neck until I elbowed him in the ribs. I had the upper hand while he focused on the pain. I threw my fist into his jaw and rolled us over, keeping a hard weight on his stomach and grabbing his hands. The smart idea would have been to roll away as soon as I was clear, it's easier to defend on your feet than on your knees, but I was feeling overconfident and hadn't felt this kind of rush for a while. Fighting with Jake was invigorating.

Angela cheered from the porch as we caught our breath. Jake grinned up at me and I couldn't help it, I smiled right back. I was sure we were thinking the same thing. It was great to see Jake again, I really missed him and all the crazy antics we got into; like the time we stole an ATV from the Yorkie's house and smashed mailboxes in the dead of night. The story didn't have a happy ending, but it was fun and I would do it again if I could. Man, fighting beside Jake was going to be great, even if a part of me was opposed to the idea. He was _younger_ than me, he shouldn't be risking his life, he should be in school.

"Hey you two, stop horsin' around!" Billy called from the porch. "It's lunch time, come eat."

"Hurry Bella, before Paul eats it all!" Angela followed Billy back inside the house.

I stood, stepping off to one side of Jake's body, and offered him a hand up. His warm palm wrapped around mine and with a wink he pulled me onto the grass, immediately using his weight to keep me down. I half-heartedly kneed his back but he quickly leaned back and held them down. Big mistake.

"You know it's been a while since we've actually played together," he breathed. "I miss hanging out with you, Bella. I hate that you got wrapped up in this. Why don't you stay in California when we get there? It suits you. Remember when you used to complain Forks was green compared to Phoenix? You'll love Sacramento."

"Why do you care?" I panted. Where was this even coming from?

"Because I'm scared for you, Bells. You shouldn't be fighting vampires, leave that to the other guys."

_Bells?_ I hadn't heard that nickname for years. It was kind of touching . . . but then his words sunk in. "I can't fight because I'm a girl, is that it?"

"No! That's not what I meant at all, I just—"

I jammed my fingers into the weak skin of his throat and took pleasure in the way he choked. I pulled myself out from under him, stomping towards the house. Forks may not have been my favorite place when I first moved there, but it slowly became my home and there was no way I was going to sit back and let someone else fight my battle. Jake didn't even deserve to be in our operation—when was the last time he was in Forks? It was _my_ battle, not his.

Jacob was still trying to catch his breath when I slammed the door. Angela sat at the round table with a cup of tea in her hand and concern on her face. I waved her off as I sat across from her. I did not need the counseling.

Paul came from the living room and grabbed the chair beside Angela and I was surprised to see he wasn't glaring at me. In fact, he looked a little embarrassed about something. His eyes flickered between me and the table until I finally had enough and slammed my fists on the table.

"What? Do you have something to say to me or not?" I barked. Yeah, it was a little uncalled for but I wasn't exactly feeling friendly thanks to Jake. Not that Paul deserved my friendship after what he did, but why couldn't men just come out and say what they want?

Paul sunk into his chair with wide eyes, shaking his head, and then he realized I was a girl and sat up straight. His eyes got that hard glare that seemed to be glued onto his face. "You don't have to bite my head off," he snarled. "You are the most temperamental bitch I've ever met."

Charlie happened to choose that time to step away from the stove where he was doing heavens-know-what; honestly, I was a little worried if Charlie was trying to cook, he had the ability to burn cereal—I saw it happen once. He set a platter piled high with grilled cheese sandwiches in the middle of the table and subtly punched Paul upside the head as he withdrew. I tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle my smile. Dads' rock.

I dropped Paul's problem and pulled one of the steaming sandwiches onto the plate in front of me, poking curiously at it. There was no way it was edible. Charlie couldn't learn to cook even if he made a time machine, went back to his childhood, and started from there.

Angela confirmed my fears. "You're so lucky, Bella. Your dad is an awesome chef. He can make anything and it'll taste good."

_He made a time machine! _I raised an eyebrow at Charlie. "Is she talking about you?"

He chuckled, ruffling my hair before returning to the stove. "Sue gave me some pointers, said I was a natural. I can even cook my own steak now." He seemed way too proud about that.

I took a small bite and was immediately assaulted with melted cheesy goodness. It was surprisingly delicious for being so easy to make, but perhaps it was the knowledge that Charlie would no longer depend on me or Sue for meals that was really good. I didn't mind cooking for him but when he always wanted fish, yeah, that got annoying. Guess old dogs can learn new tricks. _Note to self: buy Sue an awesome present as a thank you._

"It's good, and I'm proud of you, but don't you think you went overboard, Dad? We don't have an army here," I said.

Angela snorted a laugh. "We don't need an army with the way Jacob and Paul eat. I've watched them put away two whole pizzas each. You'll be surprised by how much they eat."

I shrugged and dug into my sandwich as Jake came through the door, slamming it so hard the frame broke. Impressive. He apologized, said he'd fix it later, before sitting heavily in the chair next to me. I shuffled my chair further around the table away from him for more elbow room. Jake grabbed five sandwiches from the platter while Paul was working on his eighth. How could they possible put so much away? They were huge, sure, but that much grease had to be bad for anyone.

Charlie took the last chair beside Angela with his own plate of food and coffee. He used to drink a ton of beer once he quit the force but put the cans up when he realized it slowed him down; a bloated, drunken fool was a vamps favorite flavor. The rumor was that the vampire could get drunk from the blood.

The table was quiet enough I was starting to feel uncomfortable. It was thick and tense, and it didn't help that I had two guys glaring at me. Paul's hatred was unnecessary, but I was pretty sure Jake and I weren't going to be on good terms for a while. He could apologize first. I felt bad we were fighting but there was no way I was apologizing first; he started it, calling me a weakling, saying I couldn't fight. I'd show him.

"Bella, hun, Bella!" Charlie snapped his fingers in front of my face. I blinked, snatched from my angst. "You feelin' okay? The sandwich was harmless, you know."

I glanced down at my plate to find my half eaten sandwich in pieces. Guess I hadn't been paying attention. I shook my head, trying yet failing to dispel the thoughts. "I'm sorry, Dad. Did you want something?"

"No family relation, remember that, but I'll let it go for now. I figure now is the best time to brief everyone about the situation in Washington, so you know what you're going into."

Suddenly a few arguments seemed very small. I sat up in the chair, breath hitched, eyes wide as I waited for the news. What was happening in Forks? Did they know we were missing? They had to by now; half the cattle of Forks had moved out that night.

"I've got reports that the vampires aren't taking our disappearance very well; it was a big hit to their supply, they've been depleting the blood banks in Port Angeles. Unfortunately, because the town is nearly empty, La Push is starting to be the focus objective of the vampires. They had attacks every night last week."

"Any injured?" It was unusual for the vamps to go after La Push. From what we knew La Push was neutral territory to the vampires, they didn't really mess with it. But it showed how desperate they were. Not many were left in La Push; a lot of families got out early, claiming they'd return when the vampires were dead.

"A few, but their okay now. Only two dead."

"What else did you learn?"

"Some houses of the resistance were burnt down as a cover story for the disappearing act. Ours was one of them. They already told Renee we're dead."

My heart sank to my stomach. "Did you call her?" The house that held so many memories, so many possessions, was gone. All the pictures of my friends in Jacksonville and Phoenix, the letters they sent—they were ashes.

Charlie shook his head before finishing off his coffee. "It's not worth it, you know that. It's better she thinks we're dead rather than worry about us. Actually, I think we had good timing this year. The vampires are frenzied trying to gain control of Forks again; they're scattered, and we know where they put their feet up during the day."

"How did our men uncover that? Do we have a hostage? Did one of the bloodwhores finally talk?" I asked excitedly.

It was against vampiric code for a vampire or one of its minions to give out a nests' location. Trying to get a bloodwhore to shut up about her protector was impossible, but no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't get her to give up the information. Getting a Renfield to talk was just as impossible; they were bound to the vampire as food, informant, and protection—whatever protection a vampire can get from a human.

"Something like that," Charlie replied. "What matters is that we have the information, not how we got it."

"So all I have to do is stop in California, pick up the equipment and go to this location. Where is it? We can hit 'em hard and move onto Port Angeles before they can blink."

Charlie grinned and rolled his eyes. "Can't rest for a minute, I swear," he mumbled. Louder, he continued, taking in the whole table, "They've made a nest in Newton's Outfitters. Apparently they've converted a part of the basement to a living space. There are numerous entry ways now but none that we can reach without an escort."

"They guard the entrances?" Paul asked.

"Unfortunately. They may be onto us and are setting up defense, which will make infiltration much harder."

"How are we all getting into Forks? Since you guys got out, they have to be watching the roads for suspicious people coming in. There's no way we can just drive through," Jacob said with a frown.

"Of course not," Charlie replied, way too nonchalant. "No one needs to worry about transportation. You all have tickets to California and Sam is there to make sure you get your equipment then he'll share the operation with you."

"Wait," I interrupted. "I thought you were coming with us. What are you going to do?"

"I'll be in Port Angeles helping another group. We're hoping to take both locations at the same time and slowly make our way to Seattle, exterminating any vampire in the way. The plan is to have the three cities purged and back in our control within a month."

A month? There was no way we could do it in that short time span. We still didn't even know where the main base of operation was. It had to be somewhere in Seattle, but that's as far as we could guess.

The clock on the wall chimed—it was one of those annoying bird clocks, every hour had a different bird call—and Charlie jumped up from the table.

"Is everyone packed? It's about time you all got the airport," he said. "Don't want to miss your flight."

Angela, Paul, and Jacob begrudgingly moved from the table while I stayed seated. My stuff was still nicely folded inside the store bags; Angela could shove them inside her suitcase. Suddenly I wasn't sure I could do this. Charlie planned for a month. We weren't professional killers; this would take at least half a year, maybe more. Our intelligence was lacking in Seattle. What was going on there? Was the big bad vamp behind this mess really even in Washington?

I knew we couldn't just take Forks and be happy with it. If we didn't knock out the surrounding areas, reinforcements would show up and push us back. We had to take it all in one go—for our peace of mind.

When everyone disappeared into their rooms and it was just Charlie and I left in the kitchen, I gathered the dishes on the table and joined him at the sink. Maybe I was only a little hesitant because he wasn't going to be there. I wasn't sure who I would be working with besides Paul and Jake. I always fought with my dad, but he was going to Port Angeles and that was final. If he didn't trust me, if he knew they didn't need his help, he'd go with me. But maybe Port Angeles was worse off than Forks. It was bigger, it could hold more vamps; they'd need all the help they could get.

So why was I suddenly nervous?

I bit my lip, an annoying childhood habit I couldn't break, as I grabbed a glass and the carton of milk from the fridge. I didn't know what to say yet and I had a feeling Charlie could tell something emotional was about to happen. He waited until I was finished with my drink before he spoke.

"I know you're upset I'm not going to Forks but Bells, you know how important this is," he said softly. The last time he called me Bells was when I visited him in the summer with Renee, when I was five. "They need me in Port Angeles."

"I know, I know," I pouted. "I just . . . I know you love doing reckless things and I worry about you."

He chuckled. "Worry about me? You should worry for yourself; I'm used to working in stressful environments, you're used to little things like high school. I'm worried for _you._ Have you even thought about how this will affect you when it's all over? I'm scared you'll never live a normal life. You should have listened to me when I told you to go back to your mother."

"I'm not worried about it; I know once the vamps are dead everything will go back to normal. I'll go to school, I'll get a job—normal."

"The psychological effects, Bella."

Oh. That I hadn't thought about. Could I live in a place that didn't have me checking over my shoulder every ten seconds? Knowing someone monitored everything I did? Worrying that a monster could waltz through the front door at night and kill me?

"I'll be fine," I argued weakly. I had no idea if that was true. I wasn't sure I could do it.

Charlie frowned, obviously looking right through me. He didn't push it, though; now was not the time for fighting. "We'll see. You better get moving. The sooner you get to Sacramento, the sooner you're on your way to Forks to kill those bastards."

"Are you heading out tonight?"

"Yup. Billy will finally some peace and quiet around here."

"But he'll be by himself here. I thought he was a social butterfly kind of guy."

"Well apparently he won't be all alone; he met a woman a few months ago. She's a nice lady, real good for him."

"Wow! I didn't even know he was looking," I laughed. The tension dispersed briefly.

"He says she snuck up on him," he said with a short laugh.

The kitchen grew uncomfortable again. Jacob came through and told me to get moving in the friendliest voice he could muster—_fine, maybe I can apologize first and prove I'm a bigger man than him_—but I waited until the three of them were all in the living room. Charlie wasn't big about affection but he was going to get some whether he liked it or not.

Without warning I hugged him tightly around the waist. It was going to be short but when I went to pull away his arms wrapped around my shoulders. This was a first for him.

"Take care of yourself out there," he said quietly. His voice was thick with emotion.

"You too; please be careful," I said with a shaky voice.

"If it makes you feel any better, Sue will be there to keep me out of trouble. There's no reason to worry about me. Now get movin'; those vamps aren't going to kill themselves, you know."

I released him and wiped my eyes; I wasn't crying but it sure felt like it. He touched my shoulder.

"I love you, Bells. Be careful." As soon as he said it the emotional father was gone and replaced with the no-nonsense one; the one that could survive anything, kill anything, and had a strong daughter.

But I couldn't resist the little girl inside. "I love you too, Daddy."

I ran out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_Wow, another chapter already? I know it's a day late but that's because I wanted to make sure it was only the very best for you all.  
Well, I made it good, but my awesome beta reader Great Chemistry made it the best. Seriously, folks, betas make all the difference! Thank you so much, Great Chemistry!  
Anyway, it's not the Cullens' yet, but it's getting very close. Who's ready for a battle?  
Don't forget to leave those reviews! I'm excited to hear from everyone about this chapter! (:_

_P.S. Want to see everyone's weapons but are too lazy to search the internet?  
No problem! Head over to my website (lunar-siren[dot]webs[dot]com). Pictures are labeled for your viewing pleasure!  
_

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The plane ride was only an hour and twenty minutes, but it felt like an eternity. It was long and boring, not to mention quiet. I had been excited to use the time to get caught up with Angela and Jacob, but it turned out Angela didn't fly well. She produced an iPod from her pocket the second she sat down and didn't open her eyes the whole time. Jacob, well, he was still silent and as unmovable as the mountain he resembled. During the car ride I hoped he would have apologized for his stupid comment so we could talk on the flight. Jake and I had been friends forever; we had plenty of childhood spats that we quickly apologized for, because we could never stay mad at each other. Did that change? I really wanted to know what had happened with his life when he left Forks. How was school? Did he have lots of friends? Did he meet a girl? None of that happened. At least he let up on the glare.

When we finally landed I heaved a sigh of relief. I was about ready to hurt the kid in the row behind us who wouldn't shut up about his new video game, and I had a feeling if I heard the nasally voice of the flight attendant once more I was going to pull out my hair. Normally, I didn't mind planes. I rode on enough of them when I was younger, but when you're stuck between two men who seemed to be going through their "_manstrual"_ cycle, you'd be grumpy too. I was envious of Angela, so oblivious to the world, despite looking a little green.

The airport was busy and bright as we waited for the luggage. I stared at the people passing with open curiosity. Sure, it might be near seventy degrees, but were shorts necessary? When was the last time I wore shorts? Oh, just before I left for Forks, and that was a long time ago. I couldn't blame them for wanting to be comfortable; they probably thought I was the weirdo since I happened to be wearing a light jacket to cover my holster. Just because we were surrounded by sunlight didn't mean I was going to let my guard down.

Vampires could be anywhere, and breaking the law is better than being dead.

"Hey Bella!" A deep voice yelled over the bustling energy. I turned to find a very familiar face approaching out of the crowd. Sam Uley, Charlie's second in command, was perhaps one of the friendliest men I had ever met despite his imposing looks.

The first time I saw Sam, I thought he was a statue; not because he looked fake, but his looks were that unearthly. He was almost too pretty to be a man, but with that muscle there was no mistaking him as anything else. He was always big, he worked out frequently in his home gym, but recently it seemed his muscles were getting wider and wider. He had that beautiful chocolate skin all Quileute's had, black eyes, and usually he kept his hair trimmed close to his head, but it looked shaggier than normal.

I smiled at the friendly face as he breached the crowd, wrapping me into a hug, lifting my feet off the ground. Sam had always been like the brother I never had, he was family since the first backyard barbeque. I found that what I couldn't share with Jessica, I could tell him. He was only two years older than me but looked far into his twenties and had the mind of a forty year old; must've been from hanging around Charlie too much.

Sam set me on the floor and ruffled my hair. "It's been a while since I saw you. Is it just me or did you get smaller?"

I glared up at him, straining my neck to make eye contact. "Maybe you should lay off the steroids."

He laughed and went to hug Angela then greeted Jacob and Paul—who seemed a lot tenser than before—with that macho one-armed hug. It was then I noticed the three men kind of looked alike. Maybe it was the muscles or great genetics, but I had a feeling if I didn't find a way to tell them apart quickly, I'd mix them up. Not a good thing in a crisis.

Sam led us out of the airport and we jammed into his SUV as he gave me a small update on his life. He got out of Forks with Charlie in the Bloodmobile without much incident, hitched a ride with other resistance straight for Sacramento, met a girl, fell in love, and was apparently living with her already. He wouldn't shut up about this Emily. Sounded too unreal for me, and I wanted to warn him that sometimes first love wasn't what it seemed, but he already knew that after his big breakup with the one and only Leah Clearwater. She was too independent for him; he wanted a nice, sweet girl he could coddle and take on quiet dates. Yeah, Sam was a real softy, a true romantic.

Sacramento was nothing like I imagined, or perhaps we were just in the wrong part. When I thought of California, I saw palm trees, expensive mansions, beaches, and women walking around in bikinis—none of that was around here. On the highway we were surrounded by nothingness; dead grass, fields stretching out into the distance, other drivers, and that was it. At least Washington had trees to stare at. We were, more or less, in the middle of the desert.

I was squished between Jake and Paul in the middle row of seats during the short ride to Sam's house. The SUV wasn't small, it was a freakin' huge Yukon, but with the luggage taking up the back row I was cramped elbow-to-elbow, thigh-to-thigh with both of them. Damn Angela for calling shotgun. I mean, what does it say about your friends when they're that big? There was no way they could be all natural. At least the ride wasn't long. I couldn't stand another second being smashed between their warm bodies.

We pulled up in front of a blue house, Sam happily pronouncing it home, and I nearly kicked Jake through the door so I could get out and stretch my legs. The house looked beautiful from the outside, the color sky blue with white trim, a small flower bed planted underneath the palladian window, and one around the sapling growing in the front yard; they were all bright and in full bloom. It made me wonder how any flower could thrive in the heat. I only felt it for a matter of seconds and I already wanted to go back to rainy, cold Forks. How could anyone live in this heat?

And then I knew how. Upon entering the house I was greeted with a blast of thin, cold air. I sucked it in greedily, thankful for the power A/C, as I looked around. The inside of the house was bigger than I expected; it even had a second floor that overlooked the living room. Sam gave us a quick tour of the ground floor, all of it sparkling and immaculate, brilliantly decorated, before he was interrupted by a woman coming down the stairs with a laundry basket hitched on her hip. Was this Emily?

She and Sam shared a smile so loving, I felt like I was watching a private moment between them; when they kissed it was even more uncomfortable, and I couldn't help noticing Angela with the same painful look on her face. This was no doubt Emily. She was definitely pretty enough for Sam.

Her skin was lighter than Sam's, a smooth milk chocolate, with almond-shaped brown eyes surrounded by long black lashes; her hair was black and long enough to swish around her thin waist. While she kept the left side pushed behind her ear, the right side of her face was covered by the thick black waterfall so that it was impossible to catch a glimpse of her right eye. What was she hiding under there?

Sam and Emily broke away with a secretive smile, and she finally gave her guests her attention. "You told me you were bringing home friends, not police," she joked lightly, elbowing Sam. She held out her free hand for a shake. "I'm Emily, Sam's fiancée. It's wonderful to meet you all."

_Fiancée? _A small stab of panic rose in my throat but I squashed it down. _Sam doesn't need to get married. What is he thinking?_

I took her frail hand and squeezed a little too hard she actually flinched. Oops. I was used to shaking men's hands, where they sized you up based on how hard or loose it was; too loose and you weren't a threat, they didn't want to work with you. "I'm Bella, nice to meet you, too. How did you and Sam meet?"

She laughed as introductions were made; apparently she already knew Paul and Jacob, yet was excited to meet Angela. Finally, as she ushered us toward the spacious white living room, making sure we were comfortable on the sofa, she answered my question. "Believe it or not, he was a customer of mine. I'm a waitress at the local diner. I looked up from my notepad, found his eyes, and I swear it was like the world stopped. It really was love at first sight."

Keeping this house on a waitress' salary? Uh-uh, there's no possible way. But I didn't say anything, just smiled like I was supposed to.

"That's so cute," Angela sighed wistfully. "I know how you felt. Like you can't believe that person actually exists, but he does, and he wants you as much as you want him."

"Sounds like you've been bitten by the love bug."

"Yeah. That is, I had been but it was a long time ago. My parents didn't like him and we only saw each other at school. Gosh, it feels like it all happened so many years ago, but it's been less than a year since the accident. Does that sound weird?"

"No, I know what you mean," I said, touching her shoulder. The wound would probably never heal, but talking about it only made it worse. Angela didn't need to cry anymore. "Well, not to change the subject like this, but can we talk business? I came here for weapons and a ride back to Forks, not refreshments and small talk."

Sam chuckled. "Where's the fire, Bella? You just got here. Relax, Forks isn't going anywhere."

I jumped up from the sofa. "Relax? Relax! I've done nothing _but _relax for _weeks_ and I'm tired of it! If I don't shoot something soon I'm going to go crazy."

"It's true, she will," Jacob said cheerfully.

I turned on him, my stomach clenched so tight with anger I felt I would explode at any second. "You shut up. You have no right to tease me after what you said; by the way, I'm still waiting for that apology you owe me."

"What apology?"

"For calling me weak, saying I can't fight with 'the guys' because I'm a girl. I'm so sorry I don't have your muscles, but I'm the one who actually deserves a spot on the front line—it's my town! When was the last time you were in Forks, Jacob? You don't even know what it's like living there anymore!"

The glare was back. He gave me the full weight of his gaze but I didn't flinch. "I never said you were weak; my god, you're the strongest woman I know. I only said I wish you wouldn't fight, but I should have known that part would go in one ear and right out the other. You have this strange idea in your head that you _have_ to fight for Forks because obviously if you don't, no one else will. You think that if you're not out there, the vampires will continue to parade around the streets—don't try to deny it. I know you, Bella. Do you even know how many people are fighting with you? You're not the only one out there."

"So worry for them, because I certainly don't need it."

He bolted off the sofa and had his meaty hands clamped on my shoulders before I could blink. I didn't even see him move. It was like magic—one second on the couch, the next in my face. What just happened? He was shaking with his anger, I could tell he was resisting the urge to shake me, but his voice was tight and controlled.

"When did you get so stupid, Bella? You're being stubborn, and honestly, I'm ready to punch some sense into you. Why is this war suddenly all about you?"

The knot in my stomach released with a violent lash and I tore out of Jacob's grasp, yet it felt more like he let me go. "Because you don't know what it's like to lose everything! They took my friends, my freedom, they killed people dear to me—they burnt down my house, Jake. You want to know why I feel like it's my responsibility to kill them all? All of this could have easily been prevented with the first signs, but no one lifted a finger. My grandpa got sick of it. He was the only one brave enough to take on the vampires; he started the first hunting parties to keep his town safe, and I won't let him down."

"So it's a personal agenda? Everyone wants those leeches dead, Bella. You're not the only one fighting, stop being an idiot."

"Jake," Sam's cold voice cut through the heat in the room. He was warning Jacob about something, but of course he wasn't listening. Why should he? Apparently he had the world figured out.

"An idiot?" I huffed. He was digging the hole deeper and deeper with every word. "_You_ are the one being an idiot. You have no idea what's going on; you keep bringing this back to me and that's not what it's about. God, Jake, you're sixteen! You should be in school. What made you think you could tag along with us? Those vampires will kill you."

"I can defend myself," he growled, his body shaking so fast it was a fine vibration. "I'm here because Charlie asked me to look after you."

_Splash!_ I could literally feel cold water pour over my head. Suddenly my anger, this whole argument, seemed very petty. "What?" I asked with a small voice.

"Charlie was going to lock you up in Portland after hearing about your accident; he didn't want you anywhere near Forks until the mess is over."

"So why would he let me go only if you tagged along?"

Jake hesitated, his eyes wide as he searched for an answer. What, because we're arguing he can't give me the truth? "He knows I can protect you."

"What kind of excuse is that? Whatever it's supposed to mean, it's not good enough, Jake." I shook my head. "Charlie trusts me; he knows I can look after myself. He didn't raise a wimp. I'm a vampire slayer, I can take care of myself, and I want you to go home."

"Why, so you can get yourself killed?" he yelled.

"So I don't have to worry about your blood on my hands, too!" I screamed.

The room took a collective breath. There, I said it! I didn't want Jake coming with me because I was scared for him. I couldn't hold his hand and kill vampires at the same time, but I knew if I let go of him for one second in the field, he would die and it'd be my fault . . . just like Seth. I couldn't live with that. I refused to have any more deaths on my hands that didn't belong to my enemies.

Jake backed down, nearly crushing Angela as he plopped onto the couch. I stayed right where I was, my arms wrapped securely around my chest. How was it possible that I could face vampires without whimpering—not that I wasn't scared, I was always a little afraid of fighting vampires—yet around my friends, I breakdown? It wasn't fair. But I guess having a meltdown in front of your friends is better than on the field.

Sam squeezed Emily's hand and stood from his spot on the loveseat; everyone heaved a sigh, relaxed, for whatever reason. He came to me, placing his hand lightly on my shoulder. I wanted to push him away, but this was Sam, not Jake. Sam had a better head. Because of his size, I kept projecting that Jake was older than he really was, and I could only wish he had the maturity to go with it.

"Don't bother asking, please," I said quietly. I knew if I spoke too loud my voice would shake. I hated fighting with any of my friends; these people were all I had left, I needed them. "I'm fine. I just need to cool off. It's been . . . stressful the past few days." _Stressful_ didn't even begin to describe how I felt, but it would do. I didn't feel like going into detail about the problems that seemed to be piling up around me.

Sam removed his hand and glanced up a second before I heard the front door open. "Mike and Tyler are back," he said; it was as if the squabble never took place. He smiled at me and moved to greet the guys.

I sighed with relief. Finally—people who wouldn't argue with me, or call me weak and try to keep me out of anything. I couldn't keep the smile from my face when Mike came around the corner. That jerk already had a tan.

He saw me first, but his eyes swept the room, taking in all the faces, before he unleashed the full power of his boyish grin and pulled me into his arms for a hug. I let him, because I really needed it. It felt like forever since I last saw him; I wanted to make sure he was real.

"Your eyes are red," he whispered. "Were you crying?"

I shook my head. "No, just getting angry. What else?"

"That was my second guess. Bella Swan doesn't cry over anything." He winked and released me, heading into the room for quick introductions.

Tyler and I exchanged looks. His clearly said _Glad you're alive._ Old news, but everyone had to express something about it. I couldn't help but notice the strange lump near his hip. Did he seriously keep his gun there? It was almost the same as wearing a holster in the public eye!

Speaking of guns, I turned to Sam. "Are we heading out or not?"

"We can't meet with him until tonight," he answered, knowing my one track mind so well. "He runs a business and already warned us about hanging around during daylight hours."

"When does he close?"

"Eight o'clock."

"No!" I groaned. I didn't want to waste any time here. I was promised a quick pick up.

He shrugged, not at all apologetic. Sometimes I really hated him.

Always the eavesdropper, Mike asked me, "For your new weapons?" I nodded. "They are awesome! I snuck a peek at your stuff and I am truly jealous. You got a St—"

I ran and slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't spoil it! I want it to be a surprise, idiot."

He licked my palm, garnering a stupid girlish _eep_ from me. It seemed to make him happy . . . until I swiped my hand over his shirt. The room laughed with me and finally the cold knot inside, the huge ball of dread I carried inside, eased up and let me breathe.

Friends. Maybe they're good for something.

++-++-++

"Angela, I don't think it will fit," I called through the door, nervously biting my lower lip.

"Come out and let me see," she replied. "I'll be the judge of that. I bet it looks great."

"No, I'm going to take it off. I didn't want to go in the first place."

"Come on, Bella! Mike is worried for you and wants you to have some fun. You're way too cynical for your age. You need to chill out, and a visit to a _real_ beach is just what you need."

Where have I heard that before? _One so young shouldn't be so cynical. _I shook my head. No where. Nope, definitely never heard anything like that before.

I wanted to argue with Angela, _No, a flamethrower and a ride is what I need_, but I kept my mouth shut. Mike was only trying to help, so why did it feel like he was inflicting a wound, and why did it seem like Angela was rubbing salt into that wound? Maybe friends aren't so nice to have. They make you do stupid stuff, such as wearing a two-piece swim suit that is two sizes too small. Angela was waif-like, around six foot-something, and I was not. I had meat on my bones, breasts, hips—and none of it looked right in her bikini.

Honestly, I didn't even want to go to the beach. I didn't care that we were in California; I had no time for a beach. Well, actually I did, since Sam dropped the bomb that we couldn't meet with our dealer until tonight. But this wasn't what I had in mind to pass time! I'd rather sulk on the couch.

Angela knocked on the door. "You have to come out sometime, Bella. I'm sure it's not that bad."

"It is that bad," I grumbled, pulling the door open.

Her eyes went wide for a split second, then she laughed. "I'm so sorry! I didn't realize you were so. . . ." She couldn't find a word to explain how ridiculous I looked, just waved her hands in the air as if highlighting the worst of the problem.

"Shut up. It's not funny."

"Here, just wear the cover and you'll be fine. You weren't going to swim anyway, right?"

I snatched the white gauzy material from her hand and threw it over my head with a glare. Of course I wasn't going to swim. I didn't like doing anything where my gun couldn't be with me and unless it was in a special case, my gun was not waterproof. Actually, guns hated water with a passion; the only thing mine hated more than water was a vampire.

Tyler called up the stairs to see if we were ready. Angela nearly skipped down the steps she was so excited. Me? I shoved my gun in the bag that held my sunscreen, towel, a book I stole from Emily's bookcase, and sunglasses, and begrudgingly followed after her. Sure, a real beach is nice, but I was set on one thing; I didn't want anything getting in the way of my goal. But if I couldn't get my way now, I could at least get shotgun in the car. Angela could get smashed this time.

Mike borrowed Sam's Yukon to fit us all. He drove, I had the passenger seat, Angela and Tyler had the middle seat while Jacob and Paul were in the far back. Peeking over the seat were the umbrellas and chairs in the trunk. This was the real deal. A real beach with hot yellow sand, people, volleyball, and clear warm water. Was this really happening?

Apparently it was. If Portland was culture shock, then this was culture overload. I stared with disbelief at all the bodies on the sand; there were never so many people at First Beach! It was insane! We unloaded the SUV and found a good spot that wasn't surrounded by beach bums. Jake had already disappeared among the bodies, wrestling with Paul towards the water, but at least Mike was nice enough to stay behind and help set up the umbrellas. Angela was excited to finally get a tan so she laid out her towel, slapped on her oil, and expertly tuned out the rest of the world. Mike, Tyler, and I set up chairs in the cool shade.

"Aren't you going to swim? I thought you always wanted to visit a real beach?" Mike asked.

"Nope," I answered, producing my sunglasses and book from the bag. "I've got better things to do. I only came along because I don't know Emily that well and Sam would grill me about my personal problems."

Mike caught my hand and opened my bag so he could see inside. Of course he spotted the gun. "Bella, why did you bring that with you?" he said under his breath. "This is a public beach."

"You know I don't go anywhere without it. No reason to throw a hissy fit."

He shook his head, released me, and sat back. "You are truly something else, Bella. Without a license, concealed carry is illegal around here—"

"And just about everywhere else," Tyler supplied quietly.

"Yet you go ahead and sneak a gun with you all over the place. I heard you even wore a coat when you first got here. Do you know how weird that looks to everyone else? How did you even get past airport security?"

"Rookies," I scoffed. "So they roll their eyes and think I'm a tourist. Who cares? If I die by some means I can't control, that's fine with me, but if I have the chance to defend myself but don't have my weapon? That's not okay."

He eyed the bikini babes walking past our spot, not in an interested manner, but speculative. He kept his voice low as he asked, "What's going to attack you in broad daylight surrounded by this many people?"

For one second I wished something would've happened when he said that. I wished a vampire would come shooting out the water and grab him around the throat, just so I could prove a point. But then I regained my common sense and knew if something like that did happen, well, it'd be terrible. But he'd never again question my security.

"You never know," I said simply, "and I like to be prepared. Now go have fun or something. Looks like you need a bit more sun if you want to keep that color."

"We should probably go find Jared," Tyler said, changing the subject effortlessly. "He might be awake by now."

I raised an eyebrow. "Jared?" I had first met him when I met Sam; they both lived on the rez, but they were quickly roped into the resistance. The last time I saw Jared was perhaps two days before the escape. He wasn't as tall as Sam, but the death glares he could give made him just as scary.

"Yeah, we were here earlier with him. He fell asleep in the sand and I thought it was only kind that we bury him before a bunch of kids did. We left most of his head uncovered, but who knows, maybe someone kicked sand in his face, covered the rest of him up. He's a heavy sleeper." Mike grinned as he and Tyler stood, ready to search for poor Jared. I'd wondered where he was; usually he was glued to Sam's side.

"Boys," Angela muttered.

"Can't blame 'em," I replied. "I would do the same thing."

We shared a short laugh until she rolled onto her stomach. Hint taken. I turned my attention to the book in my lap; I wasn't even sure what it was about, just grabbed the one that had the most interesting title. The story didn't even seem that compelling from what I read on the back, something about witches and werewolves, but I had nothing else to do and I certainly wasn't removing the bikini cover to go swimming. One, I didn't want the attention, and two, Angela was getting enough looks from bleach-haired losers; I couldn't help but glare at them as they passed. Not that they could see it behind my sunglasses, but whatever.

The sun seemed to be taking forever to set, maybe it was because I kept thinking about the time, but eventually I noticed bodies starting to clear out, the sunlight becoming less golden. We wouldn't be here much longer, but the boys seemed to have disappeared. I glanced up from the book to find Angela asleep and the beach completely deserted. Gently, I shook Angela—no response. I shook her a little harder, calling her name, but she still didn't budge. She was still breathing, her pulse was kicking just under her skin, so why wouldn't she wake up? What was going on? I set my book down and grabbed my gun. If a crowded place emptied that quickly, it only meant one thing.

There was a vampire around.

I slowly stood from my chair and removed my sunglasses; they might block the sun but they also constricted my line of sight. No vamp behind me, none to the left or right. Could I leave Angela? No, of course not, but I couldn't move her either. I bit my lip, finger rubbing over the trigger; the safety was on, it wouldn't fire, but I was getting antsy. Where were the guys? Someone could grab Angela while the others kept an eye out—but oh wait, none of them had a gun! Gee, my logic doesn't seem so silly now, does it, Mike?

A soft breeze ruffled my hair, drawing my attention towards the water. Someone was there. Someone I didn't know. I hit the safety as I approached the unknown man, quickly looking behind me after every two steps, keeping an eye on Angela. It was times like these I really wish we had a challenge and countersign like the military; two assigned words your allies would recognize and respond with the correct word. It would keep us from shooting each other, and anyone who didn't know the word got a bullet.

When we were an arms length away, he turned to face me, his short blond hair ruffling in the wind, and with a gasp I had my gun up and pointed. Blood red eyes. He grinned and my grip faltered, pointing towards the ground. What was going on? How was he here in the sunlight and not lit up? Why couldn't I shoot him? My arms shook with need, but my finger wouldn't pull the trigger. I couldn't even bring my gun back up to his chest.

"Have you come to join your friends?" he asked, his voice a quiet caress against my skin.

I shook my head, shaking away the feeling. _Tricks, that's all it is. Don't listen to him._ But I had to ask, "What do you mean?"

He motioned beyond him at the water. My feet moved of their own accord, and I stared with horror at what once was the ocean. There was no water, just blood; blood of the bodies that were piled on top of one another stretching farther than I could see. I saw Mike, Paul, Tyler, and Jacob in the mess. A meaty slap made me jump and turn to see what I already knew fell into the pile. Angela's corpse joined the massacre.

The vampire's arms came around my neck in what I assumed he meant to be a comforting gesture, but my skin crawled with the contact. His nose skimmed my neck and kissed my cheek gently. "Your friends were so very sweet. Would you like a taste?"

My body was dead weight; I couldn't move, and that meant I couldn't fight. It was fucking scary. "Let me go." I wasn't sure I said anything. I couldn't hear my voice over the pounding in my ears, but I felt his chest vibrating against my back; he was chuckling.

"And let this saccharine treat escape? Never. You smell so much sweeter than all your companions combined; it makes me wonder how you taste." He moved my hair to one side, tilting my head for better access—and I let him. I felt sick, but I let him. I couldn't move, could only stare out at the ocean of blood and bodies.

I whimpered and tensed when his lips pressed against my neck. He shushed me by stroking my hair. "It won't hurt, darling. It never does. You'll enjoy it, it's a peaceful experience, and I promise, with your last breath you'll smile."

_It shouldn't end this way. It can't. _I wanted my gun, I wanted some backup, I wanted to stop looking at this gory scene and kill this bastard, but I couldn't move! I could feel his cold breath against my skin, his teeth coming closer, and just before he bit me a giant red beast crawled out of the bodies, barely steady on its massive paws, charging straight toward us. It let out a terrifying roar. The vampire dropped me and literally disappeared. The beast wasn't stopping. Its black eyes, as dark and endless as a black hole, were focused on me. I screamed and threw up my arms, my gun pointed and ready to shoot, but my arms shook so hard with my panic I couldn't get a decent shot. Its massive jaws came at my face before I could pull the trigger.

"Bella!" Hands shook me. I fought against the darkness and came back to myself with a small scream. Jacob was closest to me, his face covered in worry, with Angela right behind him. "Are you okay? Angela said she couldn't wake you."

I took a gulp of the salty air, slowed my breathing, and shuddered at the sight of the water shimmering in the setting sun. It looked red. "I'm f-fine," I breathed. "Just a little nightmare, that's all. Too restless—must be the sunshine or air or . . . something."

He grimaced but didn't say anything else. "We should head back. Sam's waiting on us."

Normal conversation. I latched onto it like a plank of wood at sea. "How do you know?"

"He called, said we can get our stuff now."

"Called? I don't see a cell phone."

"Mike has it."

"We don't carry cell phones. That idiot! It's too dangerous."

I jumped out of the chair to find Mike but Jake grabbed my arm. "You're not in Forks, Bella, no one is monitoring you. Let it go."

My mouth opened to tell him off, but I immediately slammed it shut. As much as I hated it, he was right. We weren't in Forks; phones, computers, or letters weren't going to hurt us at all here. It was like Portland, there were no evil angels lurking around.

"You're right, Jake," I admitted softly. "I'm sorry, I overreacted. I guess I'm not used to having this much control over my life anymore."

He let me go, backed up and crossed his arms over his chest, averting his eyes. I caught the gleam in his eyes before he could hide it. He looked . . . vulnerable? "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have said those things to you—"

"What things?" Just to make sure we were on the same page.

"For calling you weak and wishing you'd stay behind in the fight. I shouldn't have said it; you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself. But I really do worry about you, Bells. And I can't be sorry for that, but I apologize for everything else."

I smiled and punched his arm. "Apology accepted. 'Bout time you said something. Now where is everyone? I want to get out of here."

While Jake went off to hunt down the rest of the gang, Angela and I stayed behind to pack things up. I did my best to keep my back to the water, the picture of all the gore too fresh and real in my mind, while I closed up the umbrellas and rolled up the towels. It was only a matter of seconds before everyone returned, including a very upset Jared. His face was red and blistered from the time he spent defenseless in the sun; it was visible even with his dark skin.

I tried to say hello but the glare on his face shut me up. I didn't blame him. Whatever revenge he was planning, Mike deserved it.

We arrived back at Sam's house while the last bit of sunlight faded away over the slender trees. I wasted no time once inside the house; I ran up the stairs, stripped out of the bikini—which, thankfully, no one even asked about—and into my clothes. My shoulder holster was secure, gun in its rightful place, and suddenly my jacket didn't seem so ridiculous. With the night came the cold. It wasn't Washington, but still chilly and perfectly acceptable for my jacket.

I waited impatiently for Jake, Paul, and Angela to take turns with the shower and change. By the time lazy Paul descended the stairs, I nearly bit off all my nails and tried to wear a hole into the living room floor from my pacing. We definitely had no more time to waste. We had to go. Go, go, go!

They were all too slow. I ran out the door and tugged on the Yukon's handle, only to find the door locked. Groaning, I knew I had to wait yet again for all of them to hustle out the door. Even Mike wasn't this slow; in fact, he was dressed to go with us, but he already picked up his equipment, so he spent his time at the front window, laughing at my expense. I felt like hissing at him, but settled for something much less crazy. I gave him a one-fingered salute that made him laugh harder. There was never a time he saw me more excited than this.

During the drive, I was concentrating very hard not to bounce in my seat. What did Charlie get for me? I hoped it was a HK416. Heckler & Koch put out some nice guns, and Charlie knew I liked nice guns, but he had to keep in mind we weren't fighting against humans. We needed something strong enough to incapacitate a vampire or kill it. I needed something with that kind of strength, yet not so much recoil. When a gun kicks, it's hard for me to hold onto it; I only have so much strength.

The store was located near a shopping center, so it was in a high traffic area. It was surprising because it wasn't what I envisioned. It was a simple store front, the name of the store claiming Just Guns, and that's exactly what I saw inside. It wasn't a hobby store, it wasn't a hunting store—it was just guns, and I loved it. I felt like I was home.

The store was surprisingly well lit and clean, not at all the shady spot I expected. I had conjured up the image of a bear-like man standing behind the counter, smoke wafting in the air, bikers standing around checking out the new standard issue assault rifle. It wasn't like that by any means.

I took in the shelves and cases lined with guns, and upon seeing the shotgun display I nearly pressed my nose to the glass. No way! A Striker! I dreamed about that gun when Mike first introduced me through a bunch of pictures and statistics, but it was illegal for a civilian to own one. It was a "destructive device" and had no other reason for existing besides killing. How did he have one in the store? Was it for sale? Oh, in all my excitement I didn't realize it was plastic; perhaps an airsoft gun. Did Charlie get a real one for me? Oh man, if he did, I owed him the best Father's Day gift ever.

The guy behind the counter gave a welcoming smile but the sly glint in his eye said he knew he didn't have normal customers. He was kind of lanky with well sculpted arms and tattoos showing thanks to his thin white tank top. The only hair he had was the thick Mohawk in the center of his head.

He came out from behind the counter, still with that smile on his face, and greeted Sam. "The Sam-man returns, I see," he said casually. "Brought the rest of the gang; Isabella, Angela, but I don't know those two."

"Jacob and Paul," Sam said, motioning to the two bigger men. "They're going to fight with us. Everyone say hello to Embry."

We all more or less gave a little wave. I was done with niceties and small talk—I wanted my guns.

"Well turn around; let me see 'em. I don't give handouts. You have to prove your cause," Embry said with a leer.

Angela and I showed that elegant "V" on the back of our necks, branding us as cattle to vampires in Washington. Embry nodded and motioned at the boys, but they didn't have a mark. They didn't belong to Washington.

Embry clucked his tongue. "I can't give you the equipment unless you have the tat."

"Charlie gave them permission," said Sam.

"Permission from The Chief himself? That's cool with me. Chief and my family go way back; I come from Forks, according to my parents. Never been there myself; got out while Mom was still pregnant with me. Whatever. Come on back."

I shared a look with Jake but he shook his head. Apparently now wasn't the time for weird questions about ramblers. We followed Embry through the store, Jake dragging me forward when I stopped to stare at displays along the way. The backroom looked like every other storage room; cement floor and steel shelves, only this one had gun safes set along the back wall. Embry told us to wait at a long table that sat mysteriously in the middle of the room, while he disappeared among the shelves. They were stocked with gun cases. I glanced above me, expecting to see an anvil suspended over my head. It wasn't there, of course. Guess my nerves just didn't like wide open places anymore.

Embry returned with a number of slings over his shoulder and two cases to a hand. "Ladies first," he said, placing the cases onto the table. "Now, I heard from Chief that Angela hasn't really shot a gun until he showed her, what, a week ago? I've got you a good Smith & Wesson here." He pulled a pistol from behind his back, popping the magazine to show it wasn't loaded, before passing it to Angela. She accepted it with a nervous hand.

"Say hello to the 40VE. Shoots a more accurate and more powerful 10mm bullet; this puppy is stronger than 9mm with little to no kick. It won't kill with a single shot, but your target'll definitely feel it. They most likely won't get up for a while. And this"—he whipped one of the slings around to reveal what I already knew was a Thompson—"is a Thompson submachine gun. It shoots .45, which is a pistol round, so it's not very strong, but it's manageable for you. Fully automatic; you'll have fun with it. Take care of my Tommy." He set the gun on the table and Angela lifted it with a small smile.

Embry pointed at me. "For you, I have something very special. You already have your little 9mm, which can't be any good against vampires, so I'm offering you something better."

I touched the worn leather of the holster. "If it's a different pistol you can keep it."

He smirked. "Oh no, girlie, I've got something that will make that pistol seem like a bad idea." He popped a case open and pulled out my dream gun—not a Striker, that's my wet dream gun. "The FAMAS assault rifle—"

"Shoots NATO bullets, which are only a little smaller than Winchester magnum rounds, has a three-round burst, and isn't used anywhere inside the United States. Where did you get this?" I asked in awe.

The surprise was clear on his face. It took him a second to clear his throat and ask, "Are you flirting with me?"

"Excuse me?"

"Shit, that was the hottest thing I've ever seen. Never knew a girl who knows her guns. Since you already know what you're dealing with, how about we move onto the next item?"

He passed the FAMAS off to me, and I eagerly accepted it. It had a good heft to it that was just perfect in my hands. I gazed down the sight; red dot, very nice. It would prove for an accurate weapon. Embry pulled another case close and glanced up at me.

"This is your close combat weapon; a shotgun. Do you know what you're getting? Because I'm not sure I'll survive another onslaught of your sexy intelligence."

I chuckled and said, "Just open the case."

He lifted the lid. I gasped and nearly squealed with what I saw. A beautiful black Striker lay nuzzled in the foam. "This is perhaps the greatest automatic shotgun in existence," Embry said. "Do you know what you're looking at?"

"A Striker," I breathed. "12-gauge, because of the special drum that holds 12 shots, it has more bulk and slower reload time, but it can take your head clean off with a single shot."

He made a pained noise, or maybe it was a growl. "Seriously, are you trying to get into my pants?" He gave me the gun, and I snatched it from his hands, stroking the paint job lovingly. I wanted to coo at it and give it a name, maybe push it around in a stroller, but that would be a little much. Still, I never thought I'd hold one of these. "By the way, Chief made a special order for you." Metal sang in the large room. Embry pulled a sword from his back, and I tried to be interested, I really did, but nothing could hold my attention after the Striker.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Twenty-two inches of full tang, high carbon steel goodness, that's what. This short sword should be the perfect length to keep your enemies at bay while still being useful. Its sheath sits along your spine and its short enough that you can sit down. However, if you want to wear it and be comfortable, you need this." He produced a wad of straps and I knew instantly it was a rig. "Nylon and suede, ambidextrous pull, you can adjust it however you want and don't even need to remove your coat. It has a built-in sheath for your sword and carries two extra pistol magazines."

"And I have to take it?"

"Chief's orders, missy. Don't want to disappoint your dad, do you?"

I reluctantly set the Striker on the table and picked up the shoulder rig. It looked a little more complicated than my leather one, but that might be due to the sheath. Sam took my jacket so I could switch. I slid out of my rig and into the new one while Embry went to fetch the other guns. I thought it might be awkward but the nylon fit comfortably, the suede accents adding comfort to my shoulders.

I grabbed the short sword and stepped away from the group to swing it a few times. Mike let me play with his beautiful falchion sword a few times; it was longer and heavier than what I held, but I had him to thank for what little knowledge I had about swords. This one had nice balance, good weight; it was barely longer than my arm but it would be fine for beheadings. I tried sheathing it, moving my hair aside to slide it down my spine, but missed. It took me two tries to get it settled. Yeah, that would take some getting used to.

Embry returned with more cases and slings. One of the cases I was immensely curious about; it was huge, and a lot might fit into it, but I didn't know of any gun being that big. He produced two magnums, Smith & Wesson—Charlie's favorite brand. Jacob got the amazing, sleek .500 magnum, while Paul received a .357 magnum. Paul got lucky with an AK-107—"Don't forget the attached grenade launcher," Embry said proudly—but Jake was the real winner with an MP7 and the unreleased AA-12 shotgun. The military was still going through prototypes on that weapon.

"Where did you get this thing? It isn't even available to the army," I said.

Embry grinned mysteriously. "I know a guy, and at certain times it pays to be ex-military. Isn't it beautiful?" He stroked the gun in Jacob's hands. "I've included the special 22-shot drum attachment with high explosive ammo. This thing will blow up any target. Oh, I should probably mention that since you're not warring against humans, all the ammunition you'll be shooting is armor-piercing rounds in that gun's caliber. Very, very dangerous, so be careful where you're aiming. If you shoot a human anywhere, even in the foot, he's pretty much dead, blow the whole foot off, but it'll leave a nice hole in a vampire."

"Shit. You're giving us weapons of mass destruction here!" Paul said.

"Bad shot? It's okay, you'll get better with time. Besides, these are insults to mass destruction. I haven't gotten to the best part." Embry pulled a magazine from his pocket. "Incendiary ammo. Any ideas, class?"

"Are you serious? Incendiary ammo would make vampires explode!" I gasped.

"Maybe, maybe not, but if you get a hit it's sure to light them up." He laughed. "But I have to warn you, you only have one magazine of this stuff for each of your guns. This stuff costs a lot of money."

I grimaced. "I thought you knew a guy."

"Who demands money. If you have the fifty-thousand on you, I'll get you another magazine, but if not. . . ." He shrugged.

Fifty thousand dollars? Ugh, nothing was ever cheap.

Since the handouts were finished, Embry gave each of us the slings for our weapons and produced four small duffel bags. He said they were filled with extra ammo and made sure we got the right bags; try loading a FAMAS with AK-107 bullets, yeah, wouldn't work. Embry also handed us hunting knives, seven inches long, just for extra protection.

We situated our guns—my pistol sat under my right arm like always, the FAMAS fit nicely with the new holster while the Striker hung on its sling near my hip; Jacob had his magnum in its holster strapped around his thigh with his AA-12 slung across his back and MP7 in its own holster; Paul kept a hold of his AK-107 but his magnum was clipped to his belt, and Angela had her own shoulder holster for her 40VE yet the Tommy swinging from her back seemed to make her uncomfortable—before Embry declared we were moving onto strategy talk. About time.

Sam put on his lieutenant face, his eyes no longer open and warm, but cold and calculating, and his voice had the edge of "You don't argue with me" that made everyone listen closely.

"We all know the objective of what's to come. We're taking Forks and Port Angeles away from vampire control before moving on to Seattle. Half our forces are already moving towards Port Angeles; they're geared up for what I assume will slowly spread and become the third world war, and so are we. In a matter of minutes those of us in Sacramento, including present company, are moving to Forks; right now everyone is on standby, already briefed. The vampires have had weeks of peace and quiet; we slipped out under their radars, and they expect us to be gone for good. They won't expect us dropping in.

"We have a truck rigged with C-4 that will take fourteen hours to drive to Forks; it's disguised as a delivery, so we'll park it in front of Newton's Outfitters and have snipers take up positions on all the entrances."

"Wouldn't the C-4 blow the whole thing up?" Jake asked.

"I wish. They have their nest in the basement, reinforced, with multiple exits."

"Do we know where those exits are?"

"That's what the snipers are for." That'd be a yes.

"You're taking some of my men," Embry supplied. "Skilled professionals with a .50 caliber; it'll make a lot of noise, but it will catch any stragglers."

"We'll clear for the explosion, and before the dust can settle we'll enter the rubble carefully—flamethrowers go first."

"Flamethrowers?" Angela asked, surprised.

"Make sure you stay behind the men with the tanks on their backs," was Sam's answer. Best piece of advice I ever heard. "In the basement, we have to watch out for tunnels, and be careful of the hidden exits. They can hide in the shadows. We'll clear out the basement and move on to the families that we know are protected by vampires. Let me make it clear, we are _not_ killing humans, only vampires. Our best guess is that once the vampire who has them in thrall is dead, they'll be free. If they're back to normal, at least those vampires will be dead. We've predicted that the smart vamps will run for Port Angeles or Seattle, so we shouldn't miss any."

If that was true, then I knew exactly who Mike would run to first.

"How is everyone getting into Forks?" I asked.

"We can fit ten in the truck, if you're comfortable sitting next to explosives; we already have them packed as satchel charges, they won't go off easily. Everyone else will be dropped in by air at a specific location."

"I'll take my chances with the explosives," I answered immediately. I wasn't afraid of planes or heights, but jumping out of a plane and having little to no control where I'd land? No thank you.

"Same here," Angela said nervously.

"Alright. You'll be following me on the field, then. Embry?" Sam turned to the smaller man. "Are you prepared to lead the air drops?"

He shrugged. "Jumping out a plane is easy compared to killing vampires. I was in the Marines; I've got it under control."

"I trust you to keep those people alive."

Embry gave a salute, but I had a feeling he was mocking Sam.

"Everyone else knows what to expect, so I guess we're done here. It's time to move out."

_Now?_ I swallowed thickly and reached up to touch the comforting leather of my holster, but was met with a rougher material. Duh, I switched my holster.

This was what I'd wanted, what I waited for, but now that we were really going back to Forks I was a little nervous. We were going into battle. Who would come out alive? Would I lose Jake, Angela? Oh God, someone had to watch after Angela; she barely knew how to shoot, and with a fully automatic gun in her hands, she might just kill us all. Paul I didn't have to worry about. I didn't know him very well, but he seemed like the hardened warrior type. What about Jake? He just received a .500 magnum, and I wasn't sure he knew how much power that thing had to it. He had to survive. We all had to survive.

The time had come. It was time to finally take back our town from the vampires clutches.


	10. Chapter 10

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_**Please note the new schedule. Cauchemar Vivant will update on FRIDAY'S now!**_

_So it took a little longer than expected, but trying to write with a head cold is just awful. There were many, many adjustments made throughout this chapter,  
and none of it would have been comprehensive if I didn't have my wonderful beta, Great Chemistry!  
She's wonderful and amazing for putting up with the crap I sent her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!  
Now then, we have a domino effect going on. Not that everything falls over, but everything is falling into place. So let's call it Tetris.  
Throughout the next few chapters, the plot is going to kick into high gear, and yes, the Cullens' are coming back.  
By the way, these vampires bleed. Not sure if SM ever addressed it, but this story wouldn't be as good (or damaging for the characters) without blood.  
Enjoy, and don't forget to review!_

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"Hunter-1, this is Hunter-2. Do you copy? Over."

"Hunter-1 copies. What's your sitrep, Hunter-2? Over."

"Drop successful. All forces standing by for package arrival at the designated location. Over."

"Roger that. ETA ten minutes. How's the rendezvous point? Over."

"Silent, for now, but the tension is rising. Get your asses down here—double-time."

"Stay frosty, Hunter-2, and keep an eye on your six. Package is coming in hot, over."

"Hooah. Over and out."

The radio went silent in Sam's hand. Besides the hum of the engine, the truck was filled with hushed voices. We were stuck inside a dark storage container, one that semi trucks carried cross-country. For fourteen hours I spent time getting to know some of the muscle Embry gave to us; there were five ex-Marines going in with us. Most of them seemed like they hadn't been in the military for a long time, but there was one who insisted he didn't have a real name and that I call him Red—which was a stupid nickname, in my opinion—that still had the shaved head and mannerisms of military dogs. We got along well enough.

I looked up into Sam's face in the dim light of the tactical flashlights mounted on the iron picatinny rails on the side of the guns. Picatinny rails were wonderful things; on certain models, the rails were located on top, both sides, and under the gun for quick customizing. Flashlights, sights, bayonet—basically anything could slide onto the rails. My FAMAS had all sides, but I only used the top for my red dot sight, and the side for the tactical light.

Sam had the look of immense concentration on his face, and I wondered if he felt we were up to our knees in alligators yet.

"Did you understand any of that?" I asked him. The radio conversation sounded like a bunch of kids playing make-believe.

He nodded. "The air drop landed safely, and their group, Hunter-2, is waiting for our arrival, Hunter-1. We're also the package." He patted the pile of C-4 we were leaning against.

"And we'll be there in ten minutes?" I knew what ETA meant, at least. The rest of it—_sitrep, _that _stay frosty_ thing—was all Greek to me.

"Right."

"You know, I'm not really comfortable with the radios inside Forks. Whose idea was it?" I asked irritably.

As we were preparing to leave for our very long, very boring ride inside the delivery truck, someone had passed Sam a radio and told him it was "boss's orders" to keep it on. It kept us updated on what was happening up front, but it could easily give away our plan. The vampires monitored cell phones and police radios—what made them think we could slip these through?

"Embry and his men," Sam replied. "It's military equipment. The vampires won't monitor it, since they can't pick it up. It works on a separate channel compared to other radios. I think he said it had something to do with satellite technology."

"You don't know that for sure. Those creatures could be huddled over a console, listening to every code word pass between the groups."

"But they wouldn't know what we're talking about."

I tried hard to resist the urge to bite my lip with the onslaught of nerves. "There have to be former military among them."

Sam gave me a boyish grin. "Well we're working with ex-military, Marines, and I'm pretty sure they know how to fly below the enemy's radar." He touched my shoulder and the grin disappeared, completely wiped from his face to reveal the concern beneath. "It's okay if you're scared, Bella, we all are, just don't be nervous. Being nervous makes you do stupid things; you can't think straight in the field, and that makes you a bad shot. Take a deep breath. This is what we've been waiting for. We can get our town back and wipe out the vampire population from the earth in a matter of days."

My teeth sank into my bottom lip against my will. _But vampires exist all over the world_. I wanted to warn my teammates that this small area of Washington wasn't the only place vampires lived, but how would I back up the information? Not even my cynicism would cover it. Until I was told about it, I didn't believe they were anywhere else either. I doubted taking the three cities would even leave a dent in their numbers.

"I guess I'm just nervous about Charlie. You know how he is." I shrugged, faking nonchalance with every bone in my body.

Sam didn't buy it, but as far as everyone was concerned, the only girl in the truck was Angela, and men didn't call each other on their feelings. If you were scared you would hide it, suck it up, or replace it with a different emotion. I knew the rules, and so did Sam, so he left it alone. I had a feeling if he got me talking about my emotions, I'd break down, and that would officially move me from the "competent" box the team seemed to put me in, to the "cannon fodder" box with Angela. I had to keep my mind on the prize, focus on being indestructible, and killing all vampires in my way. Make them pay for what they did to my town and to Seth.

But honestly, I was well and truly scared. Who walks straight into a vampire's nest and plans to come out alive? It's suicide!

"Everything will be fine, Bella. Deep breaths, remember?" Sam smiled. "We're going to make it through this, and so is Charlie. I bet he already stuck vampire heads to pikes around their safe house."

That got a little laugh from Angela and me. "I can see him doing that. Want to warn other vampires in the area? That's the way to do it."

The continuous bump of the truck finally stopped—thank God, after fourteen hours of that, my butt was killing me—and I heard the powerful engine hiss as the truck settled. The men at the mouth of the container pulled the latch they had rigged to open the doors from the inside. The sun peeked out from behind gray clouds and blinded us all. A blast of cold wind cleared the stale air, and I took a refreshing breath. Home, finally home, and it was time to set things right.

The radio crackled to life in Sam's hand. "Hunter-2, this is Hunter-1, do you copy? Over."

"We're here, Hunter-1. What's up? Over." Someone must've passed the radio; this voice wasn't as gruff as the last one speaking for the second group.

"Package has arrived safe and secure, unloading now. All Hunter-1 forces are oscar mike to designated safe zone. Hunter-2, move your forces back. Birdseye, what's your status? Over."

_Birdseye?_ I mouthed at Sam.

"Snipers," he whispered.

A new voice came over the radio. "Birdseye reporting in. We won't be joining you inside. My men are stationed two klicks back; clear shot through the trees, no wind, over."

"Roger, Birdseye; watch for bogies. Hunter-2, are you clear? Over."

"Ready when you are, over."

That seemed to be Sam's cue. While everyone else had already disappeared into the tree line, Sam opened one of the pouches of C-4, set something inside and closed it up. He tapped my shoulder as he stood. He spoke into the radio as we exited the truck, "All units, package is primed and ready, clear the danger zone immediately."

I took a quick look at Newton's Outfitters, because I knew in a few seconds it would be gone in a puff of smoke. The building looked like any other sporting goods store with its boring white and green paint job; there was a display of a family of mannequins camping in one long window, and large stickers claiming a sale in the other. A lot of time, work, and love went into the making of this store and we were about the blow it all sky high. Hell, I couldn't believe Mike was letting us do it, let alone helping. I felt kind of sorry that we were taking it out, and then remembered it wasn't a family run business anymore. It harbored very dangerous creatures and had to be destroyed.

By the time we were clear from the immediate blast area, or what was predicted to be the area, the truck was two sizes smaller, yet the building was still mammoth in size. It wouldn't take long to rush back in, and the sniper rifles set around the area would catch anything that moved without a gun. I hoped they weren't using thermal scopes; only the humans would show up.

Leaves crunched behind me. I resisted the urge to whip around with my gun pointed because I knew exactly who was coming up behind me; I pressed closer to the tree I was hiding behind to let the men pass. They were our unit's flamethrowers, and from what I heard, they knew exactly how to use them. Both units had two flamethrowers that would lead the charge after the explosion. We had to be careful following them. These models were definitely more modern than what they used years ago, but these were genuine flamethrowers, not homemade, and the large tanks perched on their backs would explode if shot. The men were literally walking bombs.

With the men in their positions, Sam pulled his gun, an M16A4 assault rifle with attached grenade launcher. He told the radio with a low voice, "Danger close, danger close. Clear the area immediately—we are primed. All forces stand-by. Over."

"Birdseye, standing by," came a reply.

"Hunter-2, standing by," said the other group. "Blow that bitch sky high!"

"Fire in the hole, fire in the hole!"

One second I was staring at Newton's Outfitters, the forest silent and tense around me, and the next a giant fireball was engulfing the large sports outlet. The explosion was so strong the ground shook under my feet, and it would have knocked me over if I didn't have the tree for support. Debris flew past my head, a lead pipe nailing the tree beside me. The sound was so loud, even covering my ears couldn't save them from ringing. When the shrapnel stopped flying, I wanted to move, to see what was left of the building, but I was way too disoriented. At least the ringing was dying down in my head.

"Maintain radio silence inside the building," Sam said with his attention on the radio again. "All Hunter units, move in, move in! Weapons free!"

I heard the flamethrowers race towards the building and held my breath, peering around the tree to see the destruction. Most of the dust still hadn't cleared, and if there was anything left of the truck, I couldn't tell. There was a skeleton standing where the building used to be; the floor was coated in rubble, a few pieces of foundation hanging precariously in different areas. I was almost afraid to move from my tree and step into that mess; I didn't want something to fall and squish me.

Sam stayed right behind the flamethrowers as they coated the rubble with fire; the two from the second unit had come down the hill and joined them. Right on their heels was a huge . . . bear? I couldn't see it very well, but it was big and obviously dangerous. It leapt over their heads, landing with enough force to throw rubble in the air, and took off in a streak of grey, the color of its pelt. Judging by the scream of metal, it found the basement door. Sam chased after it, flamethrowers going first to clear the room, and half the squad followed. Angela and I had just reached the wreckage but hung back. A huge paw print was settled into the plaster dust coating the ground. I swallowed the lump in my throat. _What the hell was that thing?_

Did we—did _I_ really want to go in there with some huge beast running amok?

I jumped at the sound of gunshots, and it wasn't any sound the guns below could provide. No, it was the unmistakable bass of the .50 caliber sniper rifles going off around us. Vampires were trying to escape. I had to get down there. I couldn't let them take all the kills! I spent so much energy flapping my gums about saving my town, and damn it, I wasn't going to eat my words now.

The FAMAS came free of the rig easily, almost so smoothly I nearly dropped it, and I loaded the first magazine. Bullpup rifles were great; because of its design, it was smaller than a normal assault rifle for great maneuverability in confined spaces, and because the magazine was located behind the trigger, it was faster to reload.

Beside me, Angela was fumbling with the drum magazine on the Thompson, but finally snapped it in place and loaded a bullet. She had the 50-round magazine, a little big for her hands, but she just needed to get used to it. Tommy's were excellent guns; even mobsters loved them as their go-to firearm.

The fight was picking up downstairs. The snipers kept firing, the trembling bass shot mixing with the staccato of the guns in the basement. I found the steps and upon seeing the pitch black doorway, hit the tactical light mounted on the side of the FAMAS, kind of wondering if it was a bad idea. The vamps already knew we were attacking, and the entryway should be cleared, so hopefully there was no harm in using the light. I kept the FAMAS tight to my shoulder, pointed straight and ready to fire, as I descended the stairs with Angela on my heels.

I kept my eyes trained on the gaping hole in the wall, one side of it holding mangled door hinges and what looked like half of a steel door, so I missed the body on the stairs. My foot slipped on the soft, pliable skin and I slid down a step, catching myself with a hand on the wall. I didn't stop to look who was lying there; I didn't want to know whose side they belonged to, but with Angela's horrified gasp, I could guess. I grabbed her hand and towed her down the steps with me. She really didn't need to be here. I was almost afraid to have her at my back, afraid she might shoot me by accident when that Tommy kicked, but throwing her in front of me was a big no-no. If a vamp attacked, she couldn't ward off an assault like I could.

When Sam said the basement was reinforced, I didn't think he was serious, yet my flashlight showed the metal on the walls. It was cracked and dented in some places; in others, cement blocks were visible through wide holes. Not one spot that I could see was silver, just red. The walls were already covered with blood and chunks of what looked like organs, and I had the feeling it was all because that monstrous animal got down here first. I could imagine something that big tearing apart vampires and humans, throwing body parts and innards everywhere, even though it wasn't a great image to have.

I couldn't see very far in front of me so I followed the path of destruction and the loud sounds of gun fire, wishing Angela would let go of the back of my coat and watch behind us. Just because the others had moved up, it didn't mean they cleared the entire room, if that's what you could call this place.

The basement was used as storage, so of course it was going to be huge, I just didn't realize how big. It was too dark to really see much, but the slightest sound echoed off the walls; I imagined the ceiling yards above my head. There were certainly enough stairs coming down.

Gun barrels flashed in the darkness, the staccato shots filled the air, and I ducked behind the closest batch of storage shelves; they were the big metal kind, bolted to the floor, and this one was covered in boxes of lanterns and flashlights. I could hear people shouting throughout the structure, most of it Embry's men I think, because I heard a lot of numbers and "o'clock" bouncing off the walls.

Angela tapped my shoulder. "Bella, look at that."

Her flashlight pointed to the wall on our left where a small tunnel was imbedded in the wall like a small cave opening. It was barely noticeable, only a few feet inside the main entrance. It was one of the vampire escape tunnels.

"Do you think they cleared it out?" she asked quietly, her chin basically resting on my shoulder.

"Probably not," I replied. "Looks too small for them to fit."

"We could fit. Sam might've passed it up."

I turned to her with a cold stare. Sam was a great lieutenant; he was very intelligent, he was thorough, and never missed a shot. To think he wandered right passed that tunnel . . . was kind of plausible. He would have been watching for vampires straight ahead—not to mention that beast—and not looking for escape routes, trusting the snipers to cover them. I had a feeling no one wanted to get caught by that beast, wherever it was. Not knowing if it was still here or not, it made me nervous to move. But with how small the tunnel was and being completely out of the way, it was possible Sam's one track mind would have skipped over it. Someone had to go through, just in case.

"You stay here," I told her sternly. "I'll go check it out and come right back. Keep your eyes open. Don't be afraid to pull that trigger."

"Let me come with you—you don't know what's in there!"

"Most likely nothing; if any vamps made it to the end, they're lying in a pile just outside the exit point thanks to the snipers."

An explosion went off just past our hiding spot. Angela flinched, covering her ears while trying not to drop the Tommy. My ears rang, but it was manageable—nothing like the C-4 explosion. I peered around the shelf to see the room lit for a short second by a fireball, several flailing bodies trying to put themselves out. Oh my God! Please tell me one of the flamethrowers didn't explode! I was terrified the screaming bodies were ours until, slowly, arms and legs started to fall off, headless torsos curling in before turning to ashes. Vampires.

Angela was talking, but I couldn't hear her. My hearing was shot for the moment, and I really hoped that it wasn't permanent. I gave her a hard look, trying to tell her with my eyes to sit still and stay safe, before I ran across the room and slipped into the tunnel. With a single sweep of my flashlight, I assured there was nothing immediately inside. It was so small and tight, the only way I could fit inside was to keep my FAMAS in front and crouch. I could feel the sword handle dragging against the top, only barely slowing me down, but I quickly found sunlight.

The tunnel opened to a bigger room that looked like an unfinished basement; like it was a second thought when building, with a cement staircase leading up to where the sunshine was pouring in. I stood, stretching my back, and moved up to the stairs. There was no way I was going to poke my head up there, just in case the snipers had an itchy trigger finger. But I did know they were doing their job because of the arm lying over the lip of the doorway, limp. I smiled and turned back towards the tunnel.

A vampire stood at the back wall.

I had a second to bring my gun up, but she was faster. With a snarl, she flew past me, taking my gun with her. I turned to face her, my hands throbbing with pain as I let the FAMAS be flung across the room, before grabbing for the sword handle at my neck. It was safer and more accurate than the Striker.

With one hand, she snatched my elbow before I could pull the sword, with the other she gripped my hair, spun me around, and shoved my face against the wall. Thankfully, Forks was never truly dry and the muddy wall wasn't too painful. I lashed out with my arm but she wasn't there. I pushed myself off the wall in time to see her fist coming straight for my head. I ducked and it landed with a squelching sound in the mud.

I tugged the sword from its sheath and quickly stabbed it through her torso. She screamed and thrashed, wiggling the blade in further, tighter. Her hand came free of the wall, grabbing onto the blade, cutting up her fingers, while I tried to wedge it up near her heart before her body healed around it. I should have tried for her neck, but I didn't have the strength, or the guts, to behead a living vampire. If Mike was here, the vampire would already be dead on the floor.

She twisted her body so the sword came free of my hands, still stuck in her gut, and wrapped her claws around my throat. She used that amazing strength to lift and press me up against the wall and tightened her hold. I uselessly scratched at her hands and gasped for air. What was she doing? She could crush my throat with a flex of her hand; why was she drawing it out?

"You're that Swan girl, aren't you?" the vampire panted. "Why are you back in Forks? They said you died."

What the hell? The vampires knew me? Oh, this was _not _good.

She laughed, bringing her thin body closer with a sickening smile. "They are going to reward me big time when I bring you in."

No sooner did her sentence end, her head exploded. My eyes were too wide with fear to actually blink, but I flinched, eyelids slamming closed, and it kept the gore from getting in my eyes. The hands released me, and I dropped to the ground, wiping my face with my coat sleeve before opening my eyes. I was met with a neck bleeding out on to my jeans. I screamed and pressed myself against the wall. If this vampire knew who I was, were there others? Did that mean the vampires who chased us down the highway were also looking for me?

The bits of brain scattered around the room definitely weren't helping my twisting stomach.

A meaty hand extended into my vision, and I looked up with surprise to find Jacob. That .500 magnum had more power than I thought; if it could explode a vampire's head to itty bitty pieces, what else could it do? I grabbed his hand with a weak smile, and he hoisted me to my feet, helping me stand on shaky legs.

"Where did you come from?" I asked, hating how my voice cracked. God, that vampire shook me up big time.

"I found Angela cowering near the entrance," he said, handing me the FAMAS. It had a small nick in the paint, but it was okay. I was thankful it didn't go off when she slapped it. "She said you disappeared in here to check if it was clear, but didn't come back. Figured I'd come check on you."

"Thanks, Jake, but how did you even fit through the tunnel?"

He grinned. "My secret. Are you okay?"

I went to the headless torso and tugged the sword handle sticking out of her stomach. Stuck. The body healed over it. Jake gave it two solid pulls, and slowly, it slid out of the body with a disgusting, wet sound. He bent down to wipe it off with the clean side of her shirt before he gave it back to me. My hands were shaking so badly I was afraid I'd stab myself when trying to sheathe it, so I turned around and let him slide it home.

"I'm fine, Jake, just a bit shaken," I sighed. "I mean, come on, I was only being choked to death by a vampire. No big deal." I wasn't sure if he heard the vampire knew me, but I wasn't going to bring it up.

"Let's get out of here. The guys nearly have the place secured." He moved towards the stairs but I grabbed his arm.

"Don't you dare go up those stairs—you'll get yourself killed!"

"You think the snipers would shoot me?"

"I don't want to risk it. You came in through the tunnel, and you're going out that way."

I didn't give him time to argue. I slipped the FAMAS securely into the rig and made my way back through the tunnel to find Angela sitting on the stairs in the sunlight, clutching her Tommy. Not exactly where I left her, but she was safe, and that's what mattered. Good girl. I watched Jake squeeze out of the hole in the wall, laughing when his fat butt got stuck. I pulled him out and joined Angela, sitting down beside her.

It was unusually sunny today, and with it I could see her wide eyes. "You put your gun away." It wasn't a question.

I shrugged. The firing had stopped a while ago; I figured they were making sure the vampires were truly dead and finding out who was dead on our side. "Jake said we're about finished here, and I didn't hear anyone shooting. The place must be secure."

Footsteps were racing down the steps behind us. Jake didn't seem too concerned, in fact, he waved. But I pulled my pistol and jumped up, wheeling around on the step to see who it was. I thought it was a vampire sneaking up on us, but it turned out to be Paul. Where had he been during the fight? I holstered my gun, sitting back down as he passed. And here I'd thought I'd at least get one kill.

"Great kills, man," said Jake, clasping Paul's hand for a macho handshake. "I think you got most of them before we got down here."

"I didn't see him once during the fight," I growled.

"He was in front of the charge," Jake replied, rubbing the back of his neck. If I didn't know him better, I wouldn't have been able to pick up on the uneasy undertone, but it was definitely there.

"I had a flamethrower for Hunter-2," Paul said, quickly covering his tracks.

"And that's why you just came down?"

"Paul, stop talking and check the bodies!" Sam's deep voice came from somewhere inside the darkness. There were lights moving between shelves, shining on bodies and blood in the distance, and the noises coming from beyond were disgusting enough to give nightmares from sound alone. I was already sure I'd have nightmares for the next few weeks.

Paul jumped into action, brushing off our conversation, and moved further into the room. Jake stayed behind with me and Angela. Our help wasn't needed; men were already calling out from their sections how many dead they found before coming back to the entrance to wait. They picked up conversation with Jake easily, wondering how many kills he got. How many did I have? Oh, that's right, none. Darn, I didn't even get to use the Striker.

A small group formed near the entrance, and it was then I noticed that these men were all we had left. Sam told me, all together, we had twenty-four people going in battle. I counted sixteen, including Sam and Embry who were still lost in the darkness. I had a feeling most of the men to make it out alive were the ex-Marines.

Sam joined the group with a solemn face and directed everyone towards the sunlight. I followed the group upstairs, groaning at the bright light. What time was it? Had to be some time around noon; the sun was too freaking bright.

Someone fell into step beside me, and I fought against my sensitive eyes to look at Embry walking with me. His shirt was torn and there were wounds along his arms, not to mention his Mohawk looked a little messy, but otherwise he looked okay. He grinned down at me. "How did it go down there? Were the guns good to you?"

I shrugged. "I didn't even get to fire a shot."

"What?" he asked incredulously. "I _give_ these awesome guns to you specifically for this mission, and you don't even _use_ them? What's wrong with you?"

"I might've not had the chance because I was being strangled by a vampire! But I at least got to use the sword."

His eyes were wide and excited. "Oh yeah? How was it?"

"Good. I'd like a little more length to it so I'm sure it goes through my target, but I have a feeling it'd be too heavy for me then."

"I don't know about that." He touched my shoulder to stop me, and I glanced up at him. "Punch me."

I gaped. "W-what?"

"Come on, girlie, punch me with all your strength."

"I'm not punching you, Embry, and stop calling me _girlie_. It's annoying."

"Girlie, girlie, girlie," he mocked childishly. "Can't even throw a punch, can you, girlie?"

I sighed with defeat and curled my hands into fists. Fine, he wanted me to punch him? I would. He bent over so I could get a sure hit on his face, and I pulled my fist back. He smiled, expectant, just before I made contact. I felt his jaw under my knuckles, felt it shift just a little, and smiled with glee as Embry staggered upright. He rubbed his jaw while I soothed my hand. Jeez, the man had to be made of steel!

"Yeah, definitely don't need a heavier blade," he groaned, but it didn't sound like he was in a whole lot of pain. "If that's all the strength you got, you wouldn't be able to slice through a vampire with something longer or heavier." He winked, moving his hand to show his face completely unmarked. He laughed before joining the big group. My knuckles were already bruising.

I balked. He wanted me to hit him for _that_? I can't believe I wasted my strength.

Sam called the group to order in the cracked parking lot. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he realized most of the surviving men belonged to Embry. He brought ten men, five for each group, and all ten were still standing, with barely a scratch on any of them. I did a quick check around the circle but didn't see Mike or Tyler. Where were they?

Sam produced the radio from his belt to check in with the sniper group; they were already packed up and moving. I wasn't sure if that meant they were leaving or joining us, but the fact was, Sam was stalling. How bad was the news? Who did we lose? We killed, hopefully, all the vamps in Forks today! There should be no bad news.

Finally Sam addressed us with weary eyes. "It was a hard fight for everyone, and without Embry and his men, I'm not sure we would've survived. So thank you."

"Don't thank me yet," Embry said, though he sounded smug. "We still have Seattle to take."

"Right." Sam's voice was laced with a weary _don't remind me_. "But we have Forks, and that's what matters now. We lost several good people today"—he paused briefly, shaking his head as though trying to rid his mind of the negatives—"but their deaths will not be in vain. We won't think of them and say they did nothing; we will think of them, remember their fighting spirit and faith, and say they did everything they could. We'll burn up all the vampires in Washington for them!"

I think the Marines were trying hard not to give a warcry as we applauded a job well done, but I was feeling the strain, too. I wanted to scream and get this knot of anxiety out, throw it all to the wind. We worked hard to get to this point in such a short time; I didn't think it was possible. Now it was time to search Forks any stragglers and see how the bloodwhores were doing. I hoped everyone was free of their vampire captors.

We had no further instructions until a ride showed up, so the group was dismissed. I turned to ask Jake if he saw Mike or Tyler, but he was already at Sam's side. Angela said she found Mike, and I followed her to see him hiding off to the side of the group, kneeling in the bushes just passed the tree line.

I ran to his side, afraid he was seriously hurt. "There you are! Are you okay? Why are you hiding over here?"

He looked up at me, and I swore long and loud. His face looked like a bloody pulp, bruised and swollen, and his clothes were torn to rags and singed in certain places. The cut on his forehead was bleeding freely, and his hands were burnt. The fear and pain in his eyes was visible; he tried to hide it, but failed.

I could only imagine how I looked with bits of vampire stuck in my hair. The blood on my jeans had already dried so that I couldn't tell the difference between it and the mud.

"They got carried away," he said gruffly. "Someone got nicked and that sent them into some kind of insane frenzy."

I crouched beside him and gently touched his back. "You should've gotten out of there, Mike. Don't be a hero; it just gets you killed."

Something I said made him turn away from me and dry heave into the bushes. Now I knew why he was hiding over here; not because of the injuries, but because he didn't want to get sick in front of everyone. I threw the man rules out the window and gently rubbed his back in soothing circles. It was all I could do for him. I knew my nightmares would be just as bad as his tonight. When his sickness passed, he groaned with pain and exhaustion.

"What are we doing to get out of here?" he panted. "Do we have any rides yet? Jared said we were regrouping at the Yorkie's house."

"I don't know, Sam hasn't said anything yet," I replied. Softer, I continued, "Hey, have you seen Tyler? I can't find him."

"Oh Bella, oh God, it was awful," he whispered.

"What happened?"

"We found a room full of them, vampires. The two Marines with the flamethrowers decided the best way to deal with it was to throw an explosive, but no one had grenades. They took off the packs just as the vampires started pouring through toward us. Tyler . . . he was pinned by one of them and couldn't get free in time. The vampires covered him, keeping him there. The explosion caught him."

It took a second for his words to sink in. _The explosion caught him. He was pinned. Tyler's dead?_ I shook my head. "Why didn't they help him?" I asked, only slightly hysterical. "Why would they let him die?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Mike sat up and gave me a hard glare through all the blood and bruising. "They were looking after themselves, not our guys! Why else are we missing so many? Have you seen them, Bella? They're basically spotless!"

"Because they're professionals."

"Don't kid yourself, Bella. They weren't fighting for us; they were fighting for the thrill."

Embry had said they would help us kill the vampires, not that they would look after us. They weren't our babysitters, yet Tyler was dead because of something that could've been prevented. What if it had been a Marine in the fray—would they help him? Did they leave Tyler because he wasn't one of them? My free hand clenched into a fist. Someone could have saved him. If they had incapacitated the vamp and pulled him to safety before shooting the tank . . . no, not someone, if _I_ had been there, it wouldn't have happened. Tyler would be fine. Slowly, those creatures were taking my friends. _Let them try it again; it adds fuel to the fire_.

I gasped as Mike's words came back to me. "Wait, did you say two Marines were on flamethrowers?"

He scoffed. "Yeah. They wouldn't let anyone else near them."

"Paul said he had one," I said.

"That muscle head? I didn't see him anywhere, but Jacob was trying to be everywhere. He's good, I'll give him that. At least he saved some of our guys."

Why would Paul lie? To impress us?

Embry's voice filled the clearing with a startling, "Fall in!" Sam was never one for yelling. I jumped up and helped Mike to his feet, and slowly we hobbled toward the group. Mike received a pitying look from Angela, but he ignored it with a shrug.

Sam had no trouble getting everyone's attention or telling us the news this time. Our rides were on the way. We were tired and hurt. I had a feeling I wasn't the only one who was excited to get a shower, a change of clothes, and some sleep. I just wished my house was still standing. I wanted to crawl into my bed, throw the covers over my head, and hide from the world. I had enough of reality for one day.

++-++-++

Regrettably, reality wasn't done with me yet. I wasn't sure how they did it, but ten minutes later four cars were pulling into the uneven parking lot. Now that adrenaline wasn't pushing me forward, I could see the explosion did more damage than I thought; trees were uprooted, the parking lot resembled a shattered mirror. Who would clean up the mess?

It was great to see the familiar faces of Forks' residents, and to know despite all the trouble vampires caused, they looked healthy. Our drivers were Mr. and Mrs. Cheney—who were thrilled to see Angela and couldn't resist hugging and fussing over her—Leah, (who I thought was in Port Angeles with Sue), and Mr. Crowley.

Seeing Tyler's dad formed a hard knot in my stomach. Tyler was a carbon copy of his father, they could have been twins if Mr. Crowley shaved, and I wondered if he was looking for his son in the small crowd. What could we tell him? I wasn't good with delivering bad news; I couldn't even tell Sue what had happened to Seth.

Everyone was organized and sorted into vehicles. It was time to split up and cover as much ground as possible. Sam already informed us we weren't searching for vampires yet, which I thought was stupid. They could get away easily with a five minute start, but having us search the town for known bloodwhores? Yeah, I guess that was pretty important. I wanted my friends to go back to normal; I hated it when Jessica and Lauren would show up with new scars on display.

I had the unfortunate experience of riding with Mr. Crowley; stuffed in the backseat of the sedan was Mike, Jared, and Red, the only Marine I knew by name. The unfortunate part was that Mr. Crowley didn't seem to realize his son was missing. He might've thought he was in Port Angeles, but I was sure it was because Mike was retelling the event with Red's help, editing out the part where Tyler didn't make it. Red said the whole thing took only twenty-two minutes.

Our first stop was Jessica Stanley's house. She was the one I worried about most; she was a little snippy sometimes, and naïve, but she meant well. Mike was so anxious to see her he almost jumped out of the car. I told him to stay in his seat. I had a feeling if Jess was back to normal, then the last thing she'd want to see was Mike's face.

Before we left, Mrs. Cheney had patched him up with a huge first-aid kit she brought—enough supplies for everyone, surprisingly—but the bruising wasn't going away any time soon. It was all over his eyes, nose, mouth, and probably under his clothes; he said nothing felt broken or dislocated, he could walk fine, and was concussion free, and so she let him go. It helped to have a nice mom who was also a nurse.

I hopped out of the car and jogged up the steps, using the knocker on the door Mrs. Stanley had thought was adorable, instead of the doorbell. Not that it did much good. It took two more tries and leaning on the doorbell to get someone to answer the door.

It was Mr. Stanley. Last I knew, while his wife was sleeping with her vamp, Mr. Stanley had gone out and found himself a darling vampire—as if that actually existed. He was well into fifties, his wife twenty years younger than him, and had always been on the short side; he was looking a little round in the middle, probably from all the beers he drank, yet still had a full head of graying curls. Usually he was a very happy-go-lucky, energetic person, but today he looked almost dead. There was gray discoloration around his eyes and his lips were blue, but it wasn't that cold in Forks during November.

He looked positively miserable, and that was a very good sign.

"Can I help you?" he asked. His voice sounded so far away, like he was in a daze. No wonder it took forever to get the door.

I wasn't sure he recognized me. I didn't know the story going around Forks' humans if resistance members were dead or not, but I mustered up as much energy as I could. "Hi Mr. Stanley, is Jessica home?" I asked it the same way I'd asked for as long as we'd been friends; excited, happy. I hope he didn't hear the fatigue.

"No, sorry. She went out with some friends."

"Who? Where?"

"I don't know. Some girl and a few boys; they were taking a trip to Seattle."

So Jessica was still under thrall. Figures. "Oh, well, how is Mrs. Stanley?"

"Sick. Now go away." He slammed the door in my face and I raced back to the car.

"Her parents are okay," I said with true excitement. "Jess went to Seattle with some 'friends' so I'm guessing we haven't found her captor."

Jared left to interrogate other houses on the street while Red produced the radio each car was given; he turned it on and it was already crackling with reports. Everyone was saying the same thing about the families being sick, looking like death, and suddenly I wondered if we might kill someone by accident. The bond between vamp and bloodwhore was strong. From what Jess told me, it was kind of like finding your soul mate. I didn't believe it, but I wouldn't underestimate it. If the vampire died, would the bloodwhore? Hopefully the sickness was temporary and everyone would be okay by tomorrow.

When the radio went quiet, Red pressed the button to talk. "This is Red. Boss, we have a situation, over."

"What's the problem?" the radio responded. It sounded like Embry.

"What's their name?" Red asked me.

"Stanley," Mr. Crowley replied.

Red spoke to the radio, "The Stanley girl is missing in Seattle, but her parents show signs of the broken bond, over."

"Just great. The Mallory girl is missing, too."

I turned in my seat and motioned for the radio. Red gave it up without a word. "Do you think the vampires are calling them?"

"Can they do that from a distance?"

"From what I've heard, yeah, they can." Vampires could call their bloodwhores and Renfields from miles away; it was part of the bond.

"Well, ain't that the bees knees. But I don't think that's what happened. Her mom said she went with some friends."

"That's funny; I got the same story from Mr. Stanley. So the vampires know each other too, or else they wouldn't be working together like this, and we know they belong to Seattle."

"They'll probably keep the girls there now that Forks doesn't belong to them. All right, keep up the good work. Report any more suspicious or missing residents. Over and out."

I passed the radio back to Red only to be met with a weird look. He seemed to be considering something, and that made me uncomfortable. I knew they were humans, but they were enlisted as muscle, and it just seems weird for muscle to have brains.

"What?" I asked uncomfortably.

"I think I'm surprised," he replied. "You know a lot about vampires."

Jared joined the car again, said the families were sick and no one was missing, and I faced the front as Mr. Crowley continued down the street. So far, so good.

"When you were in the military, Red, you tried to learn as much as you could about your enemy before rushing in, right?" I asked. I caught his nod in the mirror. "Well, my entire life has been a continuous learning experience. When your life depends on how well you know the enemy, you soak up all the information you can."

Red stayed quiet after that, only using the radio when necessary as we finished our rounds. It was hard to tell, but I think I impressed him; judging by the looks of him, that didn't happen often. Cool.

It was six o'clock in the evening when we finally pulled up to our rendezvous point, the Yorkie's house. It was empty since Eric and his parents were in Port Angeles, but we were free to use resistance homes as a base. Besides, keeping a key under the welcome mat wasn't all that smart.

Everyone was already here—we had more stops than the others—and stepping out of the car I could smell something good cooking inside. My stomach rumbled, reminding me that I really had nothing to eat since I left Billy's. I had slept most of the time in the truck, but I definitely needed a shower. If Mr. Crowley minded me getting his seat dirty, he didn't say anything.

As soon as I cleared the door, I ditched Mr. Crowley. I didn't want to watch him look for his son. It was up to the Marine that let Tyler die to deliver the news, but I didn't know who that was. I'd have Mike point him out if he could, but he was too interested in what was happening in the kitchen.

The Yorkie house was the same as I remembered from my few visits here. White walls, white carpet, with blue curtains on the windows. The only color in the house was the curtains, blue furniture, along with the dark cherry wood doors and trimmings. It was a beautiful house, and I felt kind of bad that we would mess it up, but seeing everyone so at home loosened my anxiety again. People come together in a crisis, even if they are basically strangers.

Mrs. Cheney had everyone eat before they did anything else. Nothing could relax a weary soul like a mom's cooking. She prepared a huge feast of meat and potatoes, delighting in the way people complimented her. It was no secret that she always wanted a big family, but when Ben passed, she lost the chance of grandchildren. Angela was always considered a part of their family; honestly, I thought she liked Ben's parents more than she liked her own, although no one could hate her little brothers.

When everyone was stuffed and half asleep, the room filled with a constant low buzz of conversation, the emergency drivers, besides Leah, took off. She was, begrudgingly, helping Sam sort search parties. Jake had his nose stuck in it, too. I heard my name mentioned several times and knew it was a bad sign. But I stayed seated on the sofa, looking out into the night for any movement, and tried to ignore their hushed conversation while waiting for a shower.

Headlights flashed on the street. Everyone who was able to drive had already left; there was no way anyone else would be driving on the roads, as sick as they were. The truck pulled into the driveway, and it wasn't a vehicle that just left. Sam heard the truck, too, and was already peering into the darkness over my shoulder. I saw the shine of greasy hair and glasses.

"Eric?" I asked out loud. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be in Port Angeles. Was this a trap? I kept an eye on the hurrying figure.

Sam motioned two men on the door, their guns at the ready. I had my pistol ready to be drawn, just in case. The door flung open, and sure enough, scraggly Eric Yorkie ran right into Sam. The big man tried to calm him down; he was spouting random noises that made no sense at all.

"Bella!" Eric panted. "Bella, there's been an accident!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

++-++-++

_First things first: **NO UPDATE NEXT WEEK!** Due to the holiday, I will not be updating Cauchemar Vivant.  
So make sure you come back January 1 for the next exciting chapter!  
Now, on to the good stuff. Thank you so much to Great Chemistry for making this easy to understand, like always.  
Not to mention your amazing kind words. It definitely starts a fire under my fingers.  
Everyone wants to know what keeps that fire burning? Your awesome reviews! Seriously, I want to thank everyone for reading,  
but those of who review get extra, extra love! I LOVE what you have to say, especially those theories, so keep them coming (:  
Oh, and guess who comes back in the next chapter. Yeah, I'm sure you will all like where I'm going to take it ;)_  
_Alright, enjoy, and please don't forget to review!_

_++-++-++  
_

_They took him, Bella. Charlie's gone._

Time slowed. Angela helped me sit down, saying something, but I couldn't hear her. The world had dimmed down to a dull roar, and everything was blurry. My breath was coming too fast. People were crowding around me, pressing against me, and I couldn't handle that. _It's not true._

I shoved everyone away from me and ran upstairs, slamming the bathroom door. I sat on the lip of the tub, putting my head between my legs, taking deep breaths. I couldn't deal with this. I just couldn't. It wasn't possible; it couldn't happen. With that, I shoved the information to the back of my mind, completely ignored it, as my eyesight cleared. The bathroom was no longer a blur of white and brown, and I took a gasping breath, clutching at my chest. _It's not true!_ The mantra repeated in my head.

Someone knocked on the door. I ignored them by turning on the shower and getting out of my clothes, setting the guns carefully on the floor. I had yet to get the grime off me. Yes, that was more important right now; getting clean, I could do that much. Had to get clean, had to wash off the remains of the vampire and the mud. I had to wash it all away from me.

A piece of paper fluttered to the floor. I shoved it under my guns so no one would mess with it and disregarded it. Clean. I had to get clean.

My hands trembled as I watched the water rush down the drain. _It_ was threatening to break through the wall I put it behind. It wasn't true—whatever Eric said down there was a complete lie. I stared as the water ran pink down my body. Tugging at the bits in my hair, I hoped it would all come out. I had to focus on getting clean. Nothing else.

But time alone wasn't doing me any good either.

I rushed my shower, hoped I removed all the gore and grime from my body, and jumped out into the warm, moist air. My clothes were gone, but my guns were untouched. A fresh shirt and jeans with packaged underwear were laid on the sink counter; toiletries sat beside the clothes with a note. My smile was weak as I read Mrs. Cheney's kind words. That woman was always looking out for everyone, thinking so far ahead to even bring clothes when she stopped by. She went home with her husband not long after dinner, so Angela must've brought them in.

I dried off and dressed, running the towel through my hair. As I slid into my rig, settling the guns around me, running my fingers over my pistol, I felt a little calmer. But _it_ was still there at the back of my mind, pushing against that wall.

I wiped off the fogged mirror over the sink to double-check my hair, and gave a little scream at what I saw. Seth and Tyler stood beside me, each with their trademark jackass smiles. Seth's smile was always curved at the right side, while Tyler's showed more teeth. I looked around the room, but no one was with me, only in the mirror. I threw the towel at them with a frustrated yell, and when it fell, they were gone. It was just me, alone in the bathroom.

I pulled the brush quickly through my hair. I had to get out of here; it was getting harder to breathe. That fine tremble returned to my hands, stretching all the way through my body so that I had to hold onto the counter with my free hand to keep my knees from giving out. I finished my hair, thankful the shower had taken care of the remains, and used the cheap toothbrush and toothpaste, hurrying through that task, too. I finally had myself under control so I could face everyone downstairs, when I saw a flicker of movement in the mirror, and it wasn't me.

Charlie stood behind me in the mirror, his hands resting on my shoulders, giving me the smile I rarely saw.

I could feel the weight of his hands on my shoulders. He looked peaceful, but the strength he held me with told me I was his lifeline. _It's not real! It's not true! _I thrashed out of his grasp, and he faded before my eyes. I hated the tears and anguish on my face.

"It wasn't my fault!" I screamed at the mirror.

I threw the door open to find Angela's shocked face. Pushing past her, I descended the stairs. The house was basically empty, and I knew Sam had already sent the groups out to hunt the town. It wouldn't matter. The vampires were already gone, but they wanted to make sure we were safe for the night. I heard Angela on the stairs behind me, but I wasn't interested in her. I shoved the fear aside and replaced it with my newest friend: anger.

I felt the familiar lava of rage burning through my veins, and this time the tears weren't forming because I scared. I had no one to blame, but it had to be someone's fault things went wrong, so I did the only logical thing I could think of. I punched Eric Yorkie in the face.

He stumbled back, catching himself on the sofa as he held his jaw. I didn't care if my hand was already bruised from hitting Embry; Eric was the weakling in Port Angeles. He delivered the news. That made it his fault. I didn't stop with just one hit. I jumped on him, rode him to the floor, and tried to pummel his face in; Sam pulled me to my feet before I could do much damage, but his mouth was bleeding and he'd have a hell of a black eye.

Sam secured my arms behind my back, but I fought him. I twisted and kicked out at him, but he was bigger and stronger and kept me in place. He held me tight against his body, making it nearly impossible to move.

"What do you mean they took him?" I screamed at Eric.

Cautiously, Angela moved to help Eric up, as she watched me like I had two heads and was ready to eat her. I didn't care about her—I wanted Eric. I was ready to kill him for this.

"It's not like we let them," Eric argued, spitting blood onto the white carpet. "I thought we got them all, but they smoked us out. We tried to fight them off, honestly, but when the smoke cleared Charlie was gone."

"That's no excuse! Do you know what they'll do to him? You should die for this mistake!"

Angela gasped with horror, and Sam brought his beefy arm around my neck. I knew what he was trying to do. With enough pressure he could knock me out for a few hours, and maybe I did need the sleep, maybe that's why I was acting like this, but I wanted to hold onto my anger. This shouldn't have happened. Charlie was there to guide them; he would've made sure the area was secure. He wouldn't make a mistake. Something went wrong.

I thrashed in Sam's hold. "Let go of me!"

"Calm down, Bella," he growled in my ear. "This is ridiculous. You're making a fool out of yourself."

"No I'm not—this shouldn't have happened!" The tears were threatening to spill over with my anger and fear, and I had to fight to hold them back. "He wouldn't let it happen."

"But it did, and you have to accept that. But we'll get him back."

"No! They'll kill him!"

Sam ignored my whimpering and turned his attention to Eric. His strength didn't let up; it was getting hard to breathe, and that wasn't a good thing, since I was nearly hyperventilating. No one else seemed to be affected by the news that Charlie was kidnapped by the vampires. Didn't anyone care? He worked diligently to make sure we were able to get our town back. He looked after everyone's safety—he sacrificed years of his life to helping others. Why didn't they care?

"What's the bad news in all this, Eric?" Sam asked calmly. Bad news? We already received the bad news!

"Um, well, we know it wasn't the Port Angeles vampires, because we searched the area up and down, inside and out. It's completely deserted of the undead. We think they were from Seattle, and that's where they took him. But . . . we don't have the location of the main nest."

I clawed at Sam's arm; he loosened it just enough that I could take a deeper breath. "What do you mean you don't know where they are? Are you in charge of intel or not? Do your job!"

He immediately cut me off again, and I choked on my long line of curse words. "Bella, calm down; we'll find it. Give them a few days."

"We don't have a few days, Sam!" I gasped. "They'll kill him!" If the vampires knew my face, they no doubt knew Charlie, too. What did they want with us? Was it only because he was the leader of the resistance, or were the vamps planning something more deadly?

"Don't you have any faith in Charlie?" Sam asked. His voice was low and dangerous with his anger. "When you were missing for a week, he still believed you were alive and fighting. He didn't think you died in a car crash; he refused to believe a vampire grabbed you, and he was damn sure you were going to show up willing to fight. Now stop acting like a child and control yourself."

Acting like a child? That's what he thought I was doing? Oh no, I could get much worse, much more childish. I'd bite him if I thought it would do me any good. But I wasn't overreacting! I didn't care if he thought I was a nuisance. It wasn't his father on the line.

The vampires would try to make Charlie talk. They would interrogate and torture him, but I already knew he wouldn't give anything away. They'd kill him as soon as they saw that. He couldn't fight against a coven by himself. My eyesight was still watery from tears, but so far I was winning. I was shaking, but I wasn't crying. I would not cry.

Sam took it as a good sign. He sat me in the armchair farthest away from Eric and waited to see if I would bolt. No, I wasn't going to attack him. Actually, I owed him an apology, but until Charlie was safe, Eric would have to wait. I had more important things to do than say I was sorry. I wrapped my arms around myself and held my breath, wishing the burning sensation in my chest would pass. I wouldn't cry. Charlie didn't raise a wimp.

A warm hand touched my shoulder, and I looked up to find sympathy written all over Jake's face. He was gone for less than ten minutes; there was no way they checked all of Forks. I shook his hand off, trying to push him away, but I got very little breathing room. He knelt beside my chair.

"Bella?" Jake asked quietly.

"Please don't touch me," I whispered hoarsely. I fought against the dread inside, stinging my stomach like thousands of angry bees. "If you touch me, I'll lose it. I'm trying very hard . . . not to . . . to. . . ."

"I understand." He stood and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "It will be okay, Bella. We'll find him."

I never hated lies so much in my life. We didn't even know where the Seattle vampires stayed; they would kill Charlie before we could find them. We had control of two towns—our intelligence group should be able to work more efficiently now that they weren't being monitored. If only we could get spies inside Seattle, but we would need a vampire to get our information. I knew from unlucky late night excursions in Seattle that any unknown vamp walking the streets had to check into the main coven. For precautions and a strict lecture, I guess. But didn't all vampires know about the Seattle situation?

It took me several agonizing minutes to remember something important. _That's it! _I jumped out of the chair with a gasp. Jake was the first to ask me if something was wrong, but I ignored him and searched my pockets. I hated to think it, yet maybe it was good that I kept the number. But where did I put it? I checked all my pockets, my socks, my shoes—duh, I shoved it in my bra for safe keeping. I felt the slip of paper against my skin, but I'd wait to pull it out.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Jake repeated.

I waved him off. "Do we have a phone here?" I asked.

"In the kitchen," Sam answered, eyeing me warily.

The number was in my fingers before I reached the phone. I was on the fifth digit when reality crashed onto my shoulders, the anger coming back in a hot wave. What was I thinking? I slammed the phone back in its cradle and paced the kitchen floor.

I wasn't desperate. I wasn't stupid! My fingers were poised to rip the paper into tiny shreds, just like I should have done when I first got it. I nearly called a vampire for a quick fix to a problem that didn't concern him. We could solve it ourselves in a few days—no! We didn't have that kind of time. We needed that location now, and we had to clear it out.

My trembling hand picked up the phone again. With the beach trip and siege, I had nearly forgotten about hoarding information. I was too busy focusing on not dying to remember that I had a vampire's number, and he was happy to help. Could I really call him? It was incredibly stupid. What would Charlie say? But what did that vamp say to me? "_I know how you see it, but asking for help from people who already offered is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of intelligence."_

I hated him. I hated that his voice wouldn't get out of my head. That somehow he seemed to be hiding behind every crisis with a calm head.

I took a deep breath, held it for three seconds, and slowly released it as I dialed the number. This was way out of my comfort zone, but if he didn't know then I could hang up, tear the number to pieces and find the place myself. If he knew something about it . . . I was doing it for Charlie, and I'd do a lot of stupid stuff for my dad. I guess that included calling a vampire.

After the third ring the phone connected, and a soft voice came through the phone. "Carlisle speaking."

Suddenly I had to sit down. My knees were shaking again. Leaning against the wall, I pried my dry mouth open to ask, "Carlisle Cullen?" It was a stupid question; of course it was him. Who else in this century had such an old name?

"Yes. May I ask whose calling?"

"Bella."

It was a few seconds before he answered with a chuckle. "I had a feeling. So wonderful to hear from you, Bella, though I must say I'm surprised you called. You're back in Forks, I take it?" It came out as a question.

I didn't ask how he knew—whether he had caller ID or it was freaky vampire powers, I didn't want to know. But I had to answer truthfully if I wanted my information. "Yes. We're holding Forks and Port Angeles," I replied.

"Wonderful! You certainly work quickly. Yet, I sense you didn't call me to brag."

"No, in fact, it seems we hit rock bottom, and I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

He was silent on the line but I heard papers shuffling, so I knew he was there. Was he at work? "I recall that I told you we were happy to help with whatever you may need; however, judging by your tone of voice, something is going to come out of your mouth that I feel I may have to reject."

"You'd be going back on your word. Old vam—men like you don't do that." I nearly spilled the beans just as Jacob came into the kitchen. He had that questioning look on his face. I really wished he'd go back to the other room.

"Very intuitive of you, but I never gave my word of honor." Carlisle laughed, and I shuddered at the sound. It was too pleasant and perfect; it was a little eerie. "Go ahead and ask your favor."

I turned my back to Jake, although I knew he was listening, and spoke slowly into the phone. "Our intelligence is limited at the moment, and something bad happened. We need to find the Seattle nest immediately. I know you know what's going on, so you should know where they are, correct?"

More silence. I couldn't even hear him breathing. It was unnerving but didn't surprise me; he was probably calling the Seattle vampires to warn them. The silence stretched for so long, I had to ask if he was still there.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he sighed.

"You don't know, or won't tell me?" I asked.

"From what I'm aware, those in Seattle are very ancient. They used to reside in Italy, but wanted to give America a try. That was long ago; for all I know, they may have moved back and left Seattle to renegades." He hesitated before continuing in a softer voice. "But that mark you have makes me believe it is the ancients. I do know where they are, but what you're asking . . . I may not be able to answer. You see, they are the very first of my kind, and dear friends to me. They started the vampire race as we know it."

"Bella," Jake hissed, "who are you talking to?"

I ignored him. "So what does it cost you to give up their location and we kill them? It's not like it will kill yo—half the species." I didn't want to clue in Jake; if he didn't know I was talking to a vampire, I wasn't going to tell him.

Carlisle knew what I was about to say. Being a vampire, he knew more about their connections through blood. "That's correct. Some are too far removed, only those with the direct bloodline will be affected. But Bella, I'm not sure you know what you are asking of me. These vampires are very dangerous."

"Where are they?" I asked with a low voice. I wanted to sound threatening, but that was hard to do with a six-foot-something beast of a boy breathing down my neck.

"I'm not sure this is a conversation to hold over the phone, Bella," Carlisle said, suddenly nervous. "Perhaps we could talk face-to-face?"

Did I want to see him? No, not just no, but hell no. Yet he had information. "Why can't you just tell me? You're in Portland. It would take you—"

"I'll be there by midnight. And Bella? It was wonderful to hear from you again."

The connection died before I could reply, and Jake snatched the phone from my hand. I was about to tell him off, until I saw the anger burning in his eyes. He slammed the phone down, a distinct crack filling the air, and turned that glare on me.

"Who was that?" he asked with the tight, controlled voice I was getting used to hearing.

I crossed my arms over my chest. I really had nothing to hide now; Carlisle was going to show up at the house sometime tonight, but I didn't like the look in Jacob's eyes. It clearly screamed _traitor_.

"Someone who is actually going to tell me what's going on," I replied stiffly.

"Bella, you can't snap your fingers and demand whatever you want! It takes time—"

"We don't have time, Jacob! Charlie is probably already sitting in a dungeon cell, bloodied up, and defenseless, and I'm not going to let him die. That's my dad! Imagine if it was Billy who was stolen from under your nose."

Jake grabbed my shoulders roughly. He shook me and my head snapped against the wall, a flash of pain raced down my spine while starbursts appeared in my vision. I held the whimper of pain inside, but I was really getting tired of being manhandled by my own team. "Listen to yourself! You're doing it again—acting like no one else is fighting."

"They're not," I argued. I tried to ignore the massive headache as I squirmed in his grip. "Our forces were fighting for Forks and Port Angeles, and now we have both. What else do they have to fight for? I'm not even sure we can take Seattle back, but I know Charlie is the last thing on their minds!"

"That's not true." I could feel his fingers tighten, wanting to slam me against the wall with his rage, but I didn't let him. I was sick of arguing with him, and that was why I'd put it to rest for good.

Even if he was my friend and super strong, he was still a guy and they all had a weak spot. I kneed him between the legs and he dropped me with a pained cry, holding himself as he knelt on the floor. I wobbled on my weak legs. The room was spinning, and I felt I would vomit at any minute. Not good. I hid my weakness behind the anger boiling in my veins again.

"You're really starting to piss me off, Jacob," I snapped. "You say you're my friend yet you constantly try to hurt me, physically or emotionally. That's not what friends do."

He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself faster. "I'm tired of you . . . acting like a total bitch. You've changed since I last saw you; you were sweet and kind. Now you just think of yourself."

I grit my teeth to resist stomping his face into the floor. I was thinking of myself when I wanted to save my town and free my friends? I was thinking of myself when I wanted to rescue Charlie?

"Oh yes, I'm clearly the only person who exists on earth," I said sarcastically. "Tell me, what do I get for being a hero and saving Forks? Because I did that by myself, you know. And I guess I'll get an award for saving my dad and freeing Seattle by myself, too. I'm tired of constantly arguing with you. I don't need it right now, but if it's going to keep up"—I had to take a second to think. _I won't be your friend anymore_ was too childish. I could only threaten him with the truth, even if I kind of regretted to think it. "If it keeps going like this, I'll never watch your back. If you ever get in trouble, I won't be there to help you. I'll let you die just so you'll leave me alone."

His eyes widened with shock. I didn't sound like me at all, but in that moment, I was willing to do whatever it took to get him out of my hair without killing him myself.

Our spat was cut short by Embry entering the kitchen. He stumbled and dramatically fanned himself when he saw us. He wobbled over to the high-tech stove that sat in the far corner. "Whoa, it's like walking into an oven in here. Did someone leave this thing on? The Yorkie's should know better; they'll burn down the house." He cut the act and turned to Jake and me with a somber face. "Oh, it's just you two at each other's throats again, and it looks like she's got the upper hand."

Jake sat against the wall with a groan. "I deserved it," he murmured weakly.

Embry stepped between us and pulled out a chair from the table and sat down, his eyes glancing from one of us to the other. I had a feeling we were about to get chewed out by a stranger.

"Why are you guys always fighting? I know I shouldn't even know about your fights because we basically just met, but Sam and I are friends. He's filled me in. Sam can't deal with your PMSing or whatever it is you're doing with all the other shit that's piling up, so he's enlisted me as help." He pointed at me. "I found out about your hissy-fit; be thankful my men didn't hear about it. I know you're worried about your dad, but acting the way you did was uncalled for. You know the way my guys look at you now, like you're fucking Lara Croft? They wouldn't put up with a stunt like that. You're lucky no one else saw that shit. If you had that kind of outburst in front of them, they wouldn't respect you anymore; you'd be cannon fodder, and it'd be a damn shame to lose you. You need to get your head on straight, and threatening your team's safety isn't the way to go. You're a walking bomb. When the fuse gets too close, well, let's just say no one wants to be around if you go off like that again. There's obviously something that's making you lash out. Why don't you sit down with a friend and talk it out?"

"I don't share my feelings," I growled.

He scoffed. "Apparently you do, just not through words. I thought you were a crazy chick, in a good way. You really know your stuff. Now I don't know what to think of you. I would be scared—what if you attack one of my men? What if I'm your next target?—but you wouldn't stand a chance against us. Whatever your deal is, seriously, consider talking to that mousy girl. Angela? She seems nice."

I did a long blink to hide my astonishment. Since when did Embry become our peacemaker? It seemed a little unreal to get counseling from a man with a Mohawk, who seemed to hate wearing long sleeves, including coats.

He turned his attention to Jake. "And you, you just egg her on. Sam told me you're normally leveled headed; you've got a better grip on yourself than anyone else he knows, so how come that all goes out the window when you're around her? Don't even answer, I know what's coming. You know the reason, you just won't admit it. Or maybe you have—I don't know, and I don't care, because it's your business. But you know how a dog can sense its owner's emotions? I feel that's how you two are. She gets angry about some little thing, that anger travels to you, and you return it ten fold. That doesn't help anybody. You shouldn't use each other as a conductor for the negative energy; eventually it will spread to everyone else and make them feel just as bad."

"We don't need you telling us what to do," I said, but my bad mood had definitely faded so there was no bite to my words. "I don't care if Sam asked you to talk to us; we can work this out ourselves."

"Not without hurting each other," Embry replied. He leaned back so his elbows rested on the table behind him. He looked completely at ease, but I could tell he was fighting to hide a smile. "I heard your head hit the wall, Bella. It wasn't 'nothing' and you really can't be fine after that. How _are_ you feeling?"

The sick feeling was slowly fading, so aside from the room spinning and the massive headache? "I'm perfectly fine."

He gave me a cocky grin. "Don't be ridiculous. I would be surprised if your skull didn't crack. Look, you left a mark." He pointed to the wall on his right, and I followed his thumb to find there was a dent left in the drywall. I had a feeling if I placed my head there, even my shoulders, it would be an identical match down to the sword resting between my shoulder blades. Jake nearly slammed my whole head through the wall without meaning to.

"How about you, man?" he asked Jake. "Are the family jewels okay?"

Jacob was giving the other man a very wide-eyed look. I half expected him to open his mouth and ask, "What are you?" but he closed his eyes and shook his head to clear the thoughts away. "I'm better now," he answered. "Won't be able to run for a little while, but I'm okay."

"Can you even stand?"

"With some help, maybe."

Embry stood up and carefully helped Jacob to his feet. He didn't make a noise as he got up off the floor, and points to him for standing up straight. He still looked uncomfortable, but he wasn't going to appear even weaker in front of Embry.

Embry gave him a knowing grin and said, "I know, man. Getting kicked in the balls sucks, but having a pretty girl do it just adds to the pain."

"That's an insult," Jacob laughed. "Bella isn't pretty."

They shared a masculine chortle that I was obviously left out of, but the look they gave me was all I needed to know what they were talking about. I could hear the unspoken words hanging the air; Jake always teased me about the meaning of my name. The blush climbed up my face without warning, and I stomped back into the living room, leaving their laughter behind me. Let them have their guy bonding. I didn't feel like arguing anymore.

I rubbed my temples in an effort to soothe my headache; Embry only made it worse. Because of his stupid talk, I was overflowing with guilt. I shouldn't have acted that way toward Eric, but he was the closest person to hit, and I really couldn't control that impulse. I was also making things harder on Sam. He had control of the entire resistance now that Charlie was . . . indisposed for the moment, and there was still a lot of work to be done. Of course, we needed the intelligence groups to get back to us about locations and blue prints, so there wasn't much for us to do at the moment. Maybe the Marines knew something about quick satellite positioning.

I wanted to talk to Sam first, but he was nowhere to be found downstairs, so I climbed the stairs and found Eric in the bathroom. He was sitting on the lip of the bathtub getting patched up by Angela. They had a quiet conversation going on, but when I stopped in front of the doorway, it dissolved into silence. Eric tensed as if waiting for me to pounce, while Angela's eyes danced between me and the pistol settled under her arm. I told her not to be afraid to pull the trigger, and if that meant protecting one friend from another, crazed friend, I couldn't blame her.

"Hey Eric, I owe you an apology," I said softly, leaning in the doorway. I figured they wouldn't be comfortable if I was completely inside. "I acted really stupidly earlier, and I didn't mean to. I just wasn't expecting news like that. I'm really sorry."

A little of the tension released from his body with his sigh; he'd held his breath. "Um, it's okay. I guess," he said. "I mean, I would have done the same thing if it were one of my parents. And the Chief is all you have left, so it makes sense you reacted like that."

I swallowed thickly. Yeah, he was all I had, since the vampires told Renee we were dead. "Still, I should have controlled myself better. This isn't the time to be fighting with each other."

"Is it ever?" Angela joked.

I chuckled nervously. "No, I guess not. Not until everything is over and done with, anyway."

"Gosh, we'll have so much free time then. What will we do?"

"Whatever we want." I shrugged. I already knew what I was doing; I was going back to school. "Anyway, I need to find Sam."

"Second door on the left," Eric said.

With a wave, I continued down the hall. I stopped in front of the door, unsure of what to do. The dark cherry wood door was closed, and the conversation on the other side seemed serious. Should I knock or let it go? I took my chances and hit my good hand against the door. The voices ceased, and the door popped opened. It was Red, and he didn't look happy to see me.

"Is Sam in there?" I asked.

"He's busy," Red replied, already closing the door in my face.

"Wait." Sam appeared behind him, almost towering over the other man by a head or two. Red stepped back, letting Sam take his place in the doorway. "If this is another—"

"It's not." I glanced behind him through the space he left when he crossed his arms over his chest. There were several Marines inside the bedroom along with Jared and Paul; if this was a meeting of the minds, I had a feeling it wasn't going so well.

Sam caught me peeking and stepped outside the room, closing the door behind him with a sigh. "What now, Bella? I love you like a sister, I do, and I promised Charlie I would look after you, but you are really wearing on my last nerve."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I realized after what happened that you have a lot on your plate right now without adding my emotions to it. I just . . . I feel helpless. I have these amazing guns that I didn't get to fire once, and some of my friends are still being used, while others are dead, and now with Charlie missing it's just—"

"Too much to handle?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "It feels like it, but I have to keep going, right? If I stop for one minute, the nightmares and fears and insecurities will catch up with me, and that will just lead straight to a meltdown. You know, before I left for California, Charlie said he was worried about how all of this was affecting me; I told him not to worry. But after these stupid arguments with Jacob and what happened with Eric, I'm . . . scared. I've never been a mean person." My voice wavered and traitor tears crawled down my face. I swiped at them angrily. "I'm sorry. This is so stupid."

Sam stroked my hair gently, like Renee used to do when I was sick. It didn't make me feel better, but it helped. "It's okay to cry, Bella. Sometimes that's all we can do to relieve the tension. It helps keep us sane, so we don't feel threatened by what's coming next. I know what happened to Tyler in the nest is bothering you; it kills me, too. I tried to get him clear, but they set off the tanks early. The vampires were pouring out, and Tyler said to do it; they were attracted to his blood."

I looked up into his solemn face and gaped at his words. "Tyler sacrificed himself?"

"Yes. He quickly killed the vampire who had him, but he used his own injuries to distract them and keep them together. That's how we cleared the basement so fast; they knew we were coming, and most of them hid in that back room. The explosion took all of them."

I couldn't wrap my head around it. Tyler had a reason to fight; he shouldn't have sacrificed himself. Now he'll never know if his mom would be okay. He would never see Forks return to normal. He would never hang out and share jokes or achieve his dream of being an engineer. He gave himself up for everyone in Forks with only one dream checked off his list: visiting a real beach.

"Do you need to sit down?" Sam asked, probably worried by the way my jaw hung open.

I snapped my mouth shut and shook my head. "I'm fine. I just can't believe he would do that. I knew he felt strongly about killing vampires, but I never thought he would do something so reckless."

"He scared me; I thought he was delusional or possessed. I was ready to grab him, but he got up and charged right into the room." He shook his head. "I never saw someone so determined."

"I must've rubbed off on him," I joked weakly.

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, probably. But don't let this hurt your focus; honor his memory by fighting for him."

I nodded. We had to change the subject. After seeing Tyler's face in the mirror, I really didn't want to talk about him anymore. The subject I had in mind was just as unpleasant, but it was time to fess up. "Hey, have you come up with a solution about Seattle yet?"

"We spoke with the intelligence group, but most of their equipment was ruined by the vampire attack. They're sending some people into Seattle for reconnaissance, so we might not hear from them for a few days." He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. That one sound held all the tiredness in the world, and I wondered when he last slept; he was starting to look exhausted. "Embry offered to help them by sending a bunch of equipment, but I think he's secretly adding all this stuff to a tab. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would give out military equipment for free."

"I don't care what he does, just as long as he doesn't take my Striker back." I stroked the gun at my side lovingly, but it couldn't distract me from what I was about to do. "Uh, about the situation, I might have found someone who can help. But there's a catch."

"What it is?"

I told him the truth about the time I spent with "Dr. Collins." Everyone in the resistance knew about the accident, but if they found out I lied, I was a little nervous what they'd do. Telling Sam wouldn't hurt; we were like family, and there was a certain trust between us. Out of everyone, I trusted him the most.

By the end of it, he was sitting against the wall with his eyes closed, shaking his head, I think, in exasperation. "Wow," was all he said.

"I didn't mean to lie about it, but it really tested my willpower to even let them get near me," I said quietly. We were in the hallway, after all; anyone could hear. "They took my gun, and I couldn't walk two steps without wanting to pass out; I was hurt, and weak, and Carlisle only wanted to help. They didn't hurt me at all; they didn't even threaten me, and I felt that I would be betraying them by saying anything. I never thought I would see them again, and they weren't in Washington, so I . . . just started making things up."

"Never thought you'd see them again?"

"Yeah, that's the catch. I called him."

Sam's eyes shot open. "You _what?_" he hissed. "Do you realize how stupid that was? He's a _vampire_, Bella! He's with them!"

"He never said he was with the Seattle group, but he knows them. He's coming here to talk strategy, I think."

"He's coming here? Bella, are you trying to kill us all? You have to call him back and tell him he's not welcome. If he comes within Forks' limits, he's dead."

I took a more defensive stance against Sam. I thought we would be on the same page. We both wanted what was best for the town, what would speed up the entire operation, and he was the most compassionate person I knew. He was the most level-headed of us all. I really thought I could confide in Sam with this. If I knew he was going to react this way, I would have kept it to myself and met Carlisle in private.

My skin ran cold. It was scary to think I trusted a vampire more than my own team.

"Like you would actually know when he showed up," I scoffed. "Listen, he said he could help, and he hasn't hurt me yet, so I think his word is good. But if he puts one foot out of line, we'll kill him. Simple as that."

Sam stood and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I don't know what's gotten into you. Maybe it was the time you spent with them that messed you up, but did you forget what these vampires have done? They took your town, your family, and stole your friends. They restricted your life and tried to kill you. We fought to keep them _out_. Do you really want to invite that back _in _to Forks?"

I was about to reply until the door opened behind him, and Jared stuck his head out the door. He seemed a little uncomfortable, almost as if he knew we were arguing. But that could have been because of the way Sam and I glared at each other.

"Sam, Sue's on the phone," Jared said. "She wants to talk to you right away."

Sue called? I didn't even hear the phone ring. Was there one inside the bedroom?

"I'll be there in a second. Ask her to wait, please," he replied.

Jared disappeared behind the door again. I wished Sam went with him; I couldn't stand the way he was looking at me. It seemed I got the same look from everyone anymore. Anger, pity, shame, and the glare that labeled me a traitor. At least Sam wasn't yelling, but maybe he was too tired for that.

I tried to backtrack, to pretend I never told him about the Cullens. "You need to get some sleep soon." I touched his arm gently, trying to put all the worry I felt about our situation into my face. "You look like you're about to fall over, and we all need you to be bright eyed and bushy tailed. You're the only one in this whole group that can make smart decisions, apparently."

"Sweet talking isn't going to help your position, Bella." He sighed heavily, shaking my hand off. "I don't like what you've done, but it may be the only lead we have," he relented. "If he makes one remark or movement I don't like, he's dead. Is that clear?"

The tension eased, and I fought to keep the grin off my face as I saluted, just for fun. "Sir, yes sir!"

He grinned wearily and shook his head at me. "Go rest up, soldier. You did well today."

I didn't correct him and tell him I really did nothing at all, only turned and went back downstairs so he could have his conversation. I wondered what Sue was calling about. Maybe she had good news about the intel groups? Or was it about Charlie's disappearance, or maybe she knew what went wrong? What if the vampires had been expecting their attack? No, Eric said they secured the town before it happened. So vamps had been waiting, knowing that our leader would be with that group. Maybe. I was just trying to guess worst case scenario.

Eric, Paul, Jacob, and Angela were lounging in the living room when I descended the steps. Mike was resting upstairs, trying to sleep his injuries off, while I supposed the rest of the Marines were in the basement. If I remembered correctly, it was a nice, big basement that had a billiards table and home theater system; it could easily fit ten tired men for the night.

I sat next to Angela on the sofa and stretched my legs in front of me. It was only seven, but the sun had set almost an hour ago, and the room was filled with the warm glow of the white sconces mounted on the wall. It kind of reminded me of my house, except we didn't have the money to throw around like the Yorkie's; his dad was some big shot businessman in Seattle and his mom was a psychiatrist. Why they never moved into the city was beyond me, but I was glad they stayed. I considered Eric one of my friends. Who else would I have to discuss the latest action flick with? Sure, Mike, but he only rated based on how much gore was in it; Eric looked at the bigger picture.

Angela suggested I take my rig off, wondering if I was uncomfortable. How could anyone be uncomfortable being surrounded by these wonderful guns? Still, I pulled the FAMAS free and set it and the Striker on the floor beside the sofa, out of the way so no one would trip on them. I'd ditch the sword, but then the sharp blade would be naked since the sheath was built into the rig. It didn't bother me; it was thin enough and barely put pressure on my back. I didn't want to take the whole thing off because I wanted my pistol touching me. I used to sleep with it under my pillow; it was my beautiful, strange security blanket.

I asked Angela if she would wake me up around eleven, since I knew she would be awake; she basically slept the whole fourteen-hour drive here, and if she wasn't out cold yet, I doubted a few hours would change that. With her agreement, I closed my eyes, and slowly sank into the silent darkness.


	12. Chapter 12

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_Welcome to another installment of CV! Are you ready for some answers? I hope so, because we get quite a few here.  
Oh, and the Cullens are back! To stay! So enjoy that.  
I'd like to thank Great Chemistry for her amazing beta work. Without her, seriously guys, you wouldn't be able to understand half of this.  
So enjoy the domino effect! It's gonna get messy ;)  
Enjoy, and don't forget to review! If you have any guesses, I'd love to hear them!_

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The warm edge of the dream world faded until I was left with cold reality. I turned over, trying to hold onto that last bit of warmth, and smacked at the hands shaking me. I had to cling to these lazy feelings. I fought to return to my dream. I loved the sound of a lake at six in the morning; the magic of fish hitting the surface and birds and crickets chirping together. I rarely fished, but I loved to recline in the boat with a book and listen to nature. The warm fuzzies I had were too relaxing to let escape.

"Bella, it's eleven thirty-eight," a voice called from the distance.

That was supposed to mean something to me, but what was it? I didn't care about time. I had all the time in the world out on the pond. I wanted to sleep. I had nothing better to do; everything was safe.

The pond was ripped away. Bright images flashed behind my eyes in the darkness—all the events that led up to this moment.

Everything was _not_ safe.

I jumped back to consciousness with a snap. Angela hovered over me with a smile, and the next thing I realized was that I was lying on the sofa. Did I kick Angela off during my nap? I always was a bit of a fitful sleeper.

I stretched easily, the last shred of the warm dream sliding away. Wait. My hands felt for the straps of the holster, but I already knew it was gone; my shirt was too loose, that stretch had been too comfortable. I sat up and searched the room with blurry eyes. Most of the lights had been turned off, the TV playing some cop drama, and it was surprisingly empty. I figured some of the Marines would be up for guard duty or something, just in case.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Angela said sheepishly. I rubbed my eyes and gave her my attention to see she held my shoulder rig. "I took off your holster while you slept. I thought you might be more comfortable."

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to flatten it but knew it was too thick to do any good without a brush. I hated that she took my gun. No wonder I had such a lousy nap. But I must've been way more exhausted than I thought; I didn't feel her touching me or wake up when my gun disappeared. She was only trying to help, and I couldn't hate her for that. At least, I could _try_ not to hate her for it. "Thanks, Angela. Where's Sam?" I asked.

Ugh, my mouth felt fuzzy, like something might've crawled in there and died. Hopefully my breath didn't smell that bad. I took back my rig as she answered.

"Sam crashed upstairs. I swear it looks like he aged a few years in a matter of days. It's scary how work can affect people."

"Where's everyone else?"

"Marines are still sleeping in the basement." I jumped at the masculine voice; I didn't even see Mike sitting in the armchair. "All the others disappeared upstairs," he answered.

"How were things while I slept?"

"I really think we ran all those bastards out of town. Good riddance." He grinned at me, and the swelling of his injuries made it look painful. "It's been silent so far. Besides your sleep talking, that is."

I ignored the jab, trying hard to keep my face from overheating. No matter how many times people joked about it, my childish habits still made me uncomfortable. I especially hated blushing. How come I could fight against vampires, yet blush so easily? Fate was a cold, cruel harpy.

Mike was laughing to himself, but I turned my back on him. With a satisfied smile, I settled the rig around me, snug on my shoulders how I liked it, and drew my pistol. Since I got the bigger guns, I felt it had been neglected, and that just wasn't fair. The pistol would always be close to my heart, but sometimes it took a lot more than a 9mm bullet to kill a vampire.

Angela eyed me speculatively. "Bella, is something going on?"

"What do you mean?" Was I that easy to read? Maybe. Playing with my gun wasn't helping that matter. I holstered the pistol. It needed a good cleaning, but that would have to wait.

"You're acting weird again. I mean, why not just sleep the whole night? Why not let Sam sleep? You're hiding something from us, and I'm worried. It isn't like you to make a brash decision. Whatever you need, I can help."

Her words made me reconsider. Sam needed the rest. He had a huge load on his shoulders, and I wasn't entirely sure I wanted him to meet Carlisle. He could make things worse. I was going into it with a level head and itchy trigger finger; Sam could just yell and make a fuss, ending negotiations and leaving us without a lead. Then again, Sam wasn't the type to yell without a good reason. Having calm, quiet Angela with me might've been the better choice. She might've kept me composed instead of dealing with the emotions that would volley between me and Sam, but he was our leader, and leaders should always be present for negotiations.

"Thanks, but this is a little too dangerous for you, Angela," I said.

She frowned, but she was never one to argue. Thank goodness for small miracles. "Okay then. Just be careful."

"Don't worry about me; I've got it under control." _I hope, _I added silently. "I'm going to talk to Sam. Why don't you get some sleep? I have a feeling it's going to be a long day."

In the middle of a crisis, no one passes up the chance to get some rest. Angela stripped out of her holster and took my spot on the couch. I grabbed the FAMAS and Striker from the floor, settling them around me, before I dashed up the stairs. I heard the frustrated sigh before I turned the corner. Embry sat against the wall at the top of the steps with a cell phone pressed to his ear, rubbing his temple with his free hand. It sounded like he was at the end of a stressful conversation.

"And you haven't talked to the guy in years?" he asked the phone. I tried not to listen, but I had no idea where Sam was camping for the night, and Embry might know. "Big favor, huh? Shit, man, you're not seriously going to do it, are you? That place gave you nightmares." He waited for a reply. "Well, if you could. Fine, whatever; it's your call. Let me know if anything turns up, Pete." He snapped the phone shut, his breath coming out as a frustrated growl.

I fought against the temptation to ask what his conversation was about. It wasn't my business. I knew he wouldn't tell me, but it was a big impulse to beat. "Hey Embry, do you know where Sam is?"

"Same room where the brain trust was earlier," he replied, his voice dark with his anger. "Careful, though. The other guys are sleeping in there, too. You might step on them."

I was about to continue down the hall when he grabbed my wrist. "Bella, you didn't happen to open a can of worms recently, did you?"

"What?" I asked. My heart jumped into my throat. "What makes you say that?"

"My sources are saying there's a ruckus going on in the underworld. It started after you made a certain phone call."

"I only called a . . . _friend_." I choked on the word, and the look he gave me said he wasn't convinced. "Tell your sources to run their information again. I haven't done anything."

He released my wrist. "I don't appreciate liars, Bella. Whatever you're protecting, it's gonna bite you hard. Just tell me this, is the shit about to hit the fan?"

"Why, so you and your scary ex-military friends can get out of here?" I hissed. I didn't like how he was cornering me. What did I do? I called for help. That's it, that's all I did. That shouldn't change anything. Why did Embry believe I was mucking things up in the underworld?

"No. I need to know so I can call in more backup," he replied. "The worse that can happen now is that we're taken off guard. I want everyone to be well protected."

Who knew Embry cared? I sighed with my exhaustion as I touched the straps of the rig. It wasn't as comforting as the cool leather had been, but it helped a little. "Honestly Embry, I don't know what's happening. Right now we're just meeting with someone who can help us get to the Seattle nest. We'll go from there."

"Don't get us killed, girlie."

I ignored his comment and continued down the hall. Thanks to Embry, I was ten thousand times more nervous than I originally was. Did I do the right thing when I called Carlisle? It still felt like betrayal, but we were literally in the dark. Our intelligence group had nothing to work with, and we had no information to lead us to the nest.

Carlisle was basically our only hope of finding Charlie.

The master bedroom door was shut. Loud, angry snores sounded behind the wood, and I hesitated going inside. Embry said _other guys _were sleeping inside, as well. I was guessing that was Jared, Paul, and Jacob. I already knew where the Marines were, and assumed Eric was in his room. My dilemma wasn't _who _was in the room, but how to enter. You didn't just walk right in there. With four armed men, most likely sleeping with one eye open, I could get shot.

I opened the door slowly to make sure no one was sleeping near the doorway and peeked inside the room. With the hallway light, I saw Jake passed out on a pile of blankets closest to the hall. He barely stirred when the light touched him. I tiptoed into the room, tried not to step on Jake, and found Sam on the bed.

Even in the dim light he looked dead tired. His face was peaceful and slack in sleep, but I saw the dark bags under his eyes. He didn't sleep in the truck like some of us, he probably didn't even sleep the night before while he planned our last minute arrival, and he had more to deal with than the rest of us. I hated to wake him, but he wanted to be there when Carlisle showed up. The only question was: how do you wake someone who slept with a gun under their pillow, and who could use it effectively while half unconscious? And how do you make sure the other guys stay sleeping?

Ah, screw it.

I flipped on the overhead light and called Sam's name. Jake woke up first, groaning and complaining, before punching Sam in the leg. I noticed Paul's head peeking over the foot of the bed, glaring at me with all the anger he could muster. Sam rolled on the bed, and it kind of worried me because his hand was under the pillow, but he didn't pull a gun.

"What is it?" he mumbled, his eyes barely open a crack.

"He'll be here any minute," I answered simply. He knew what it meant.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes, giving a small groan. He was as reluctant as anyone to get up after so little sleep. "I'll be down in a minute. If he gets here before I get downstairs, don't answer the door. Make him wait outside."

I nodded and left him to wake up. What we could all use was a hot pot of coffee, but I wasn't sure where the Yorkie's stored their beans around here. Besides, it might make too much noise. I wanted as few people awake as possible when Carlisle arrived; the less to know about his visit, the better.

Two minutes until midnight and Sam was wide awake, unlike me. I was rubbing my eyes furiously, hoping I wouldn't pass out during our impromptu meeting. I was still feeling the aftereffect of the immense adrenaline rush that pushed me through the day and the shock I'd had about Charlie. I didn't get enough sleep to recover. But whatever Carlisle had to say, it was something important enough, or scared him enough, that he couldn't talk over the phone. I had to stay awake.

Jacob, Paul, and Jared were awake, too. When they came clomping down the stairs, I told them to go back to bed; they weren't needed for this meeting. Sam said he wanted backup, just in case. I'd guessed that's why Embry hadn't found a place to crash as well. He was alert on the sofa, watching Mike flip channels. Nothing was on this late. I wished he'd gone to sleep like Angela. She was curled in a ball on one end of the sofa, sound asleep already.

None of the other men knew what they were waiting for; at least, I didn't think Sam would tell them. If Paul was angry the first time I met him, then he was going to be livid about this. Hiding information, meeting face-to-face with the things we vowed to kill—all because we didn't have proper information. Maybe calling Carlisle had been a hasty decision. Suddenly, I wasn't so comfortable with my brilliant plan. I wondered if, when he showed up, he would leave if I told him to. Sure, and pigs fly.

I hugged my pistol closer, the butt digging into the side of my breast. It was sturdy and couldn't second-guess itself. I needed that. Right now, it was the only thing I could count on. It would always fire as long as it had bullets, and I usually had a lot of those. Yeah, pretty darn dependable.

Sam noticed my nerves. He was about to say something, but our time was up. There was a light knock at the front door. Paul stiffened at Sam's side, and Jake cursed under his breath. Sam put a hand on Paul's chest, and that small touch seemed to calm him. He motioned to Embry, who got up and answered the second, more hurried knock. His FN P90 pistol was out by his thigh, hidden behind the door.

The strain in the house was tangible, but Embry showed none of it on his face. He grinned at our guest. He was so calm, so normal, that it kind of scared me. Wasn't he against vampires, too? How come he wasn't glaring and growling, like Paul? Actually, I wasn't aware a human could make the kind of noises Paul was making; he sounded more like an enraged beast. His body was shaking so fast it was a fine vibration that coursed through his body, and scared me. I thought he was having a seizure, but the concentration and anger on his face was unmistakable.

"Well, I didn't know Jehovah's Witnesses had a night shift," Embry said pleasantly. "I'm not sure I can let you into the house."

"We don't need to be invited in, if that's what you're getting at," a deep voice replied good-naturedly.

That didn't sound like Carlisle. I squeezed past Jared's broad back to get closer to the door, but I didn't get very far. One second the house was quiet, only the low hum of the TV invading that space, but with the next second the tension exploded. There was an ugly ripping sound, someone pushed me towards the steps, out of the way of the problem, and I had just a second to turn and see a blur of gray run out the door. I caught myself on the banister and hit the safety on my gun before hurrying after Sam. Mike and a frazzled Angela followed me.

Standing off to the side of the porch was Carlisle's entire coven, except one was missing. They stared, captivated, by whatever was happening in the street. I turned slowly towards the loud growling to find a fight.

The missing Cullen, the big burly one I saw once, was wrestling with . . . a giant wolf. I saw the gleam of its silver pelt from the streetlight, the ferocious growls and snarls tearing from its throat loud enough to shake the house windows. Where did it come from? It wasn't in the house, was it? Had it been lurking in the streets? I never saw such a huge wolf before. What the hell was it?

The vampire caught the drooling jaws of the wolf in his hands. He laughed like it was all fun and games, like that thing wasn't about to rip his face off! The wolf snarled and swiped a massive paw at him; he vanished, but quickly reappeared behind the wolf.

I raised my gun, but I wasn't sure my pistol could do any damage against that beast. Jake caught my arm, lowering my gun. I looked up into his face, but he wasn't even surprised. His eyes were cold as he tried to keep them on the vampires huddled on the porch, yet his attention continually drifted toward the fight. What was he thinking? We had to shoot that thing! If the vampire didn't kill it, we would all be done for. That thing looked way more than vicious.

In my peripheral vision I caught Jared handing his weapons off to Embry before jumping onto the lawn. I screamed for him to come back, but as he ran across the lawn, he completely transformed. With a small explosion, Jared's big body was replaced by a dark brown wolf as bulky as the gray one.

The brown one—was it really Jared?—tackled the gray wolf just before it could grab the vampire. The gray wolf whined, quickly getting to its feet, and started growling at the new wolf. In the blink of an eye, it lashed out with a massive paw. Jared didn't flinch; he dodged the attack and grabbed the gray wolf by the back of the neck with his jaws, holding it down while it thrashed and whined and yipped.

My hands were shaking around my gun. It took me three tries to flick the safety on. It'd suck if I shot someone by accident because of my weak nerves. The vampire left the cooling fight, joining us near the house. He didn't have a scratch on him, his speed giving him the upper hand, and he smiled at his coven. I tried to ignore the wolves in the street, but with their barking and growling, it was hard to do. Worrying about it would just send me into shock. I couldn't let that happen. Since I wasn't allowed to shoot it, I concentrated on simple matters. Like the vampire. What was his name? I heard it once from Alice, but I couldn't remember.

"He didn't have to help," the vamp said, rotating his shoulder. Was he hurt? No, that'd be impossible. "I almost had him."

"Paul needs to be put in his place now and then," Sam replied frigidly.

"P-Paul?" I sputtered. "You mean those _things_ are _actually_ Jared and Paul?"

He glanced down at me, then over my head. I assumed he was looking at Jacob. "It's a long story."

That was a yes. Oh my god. I had to sit down.

He turned his attention to Mike and Angela who were standing in the doorway looking as pale as I felt. "Go find something to do in the basement. Don't disturb the Marines."

Sam was in his lieutenant mode, the one that no one argued with. Mike and Angela disappeared into the house. I had a feeling they would've argued, knowing there were vampires outside, but I think they wanted to be as far away from the giant wolves as possible. How they even transformed like that, I'd never know. I wasn't sure I wanted to. Maybe it was an illusion.

My nerves were on a rampage, but I wasn't going to show that to the vampires. There had been way too many close calls with tears recently, and I was definitely feeling stressed, but that didn't mean I had to broadcast it for the vamps. I had to suck it up, get a hold of myself. I swallowed the scream building my throat, but I couldn't fight the physical reaction. My knees were feeling a bit weak; seeing Jared explode like that was more terrifying than facing a really old vampire. Would he be okay? What about Paul, if that was really him? Jake must've noticed something was wrong, or I looked too pale, because he offered to help me walk or sit down. I shook him off. Sam wanted him inside, not coddling me. He did what Sam ordered.

Sam was completely unaffected by the fight. He wasted no time inviting the vampires in, turning his back to lead them into the living room, while Embry brought up the rear. It was a big show of faith from Sam. I would've walked backwards to keep an eye on the vamps.

If Sam wasn't concerned, then I wouldn't be either; we had more pressing matters than men turning into giant wolves, at least, for now. When it didn't make me look stupid in front of the vamps, I'd ask Sam what happened. Right now, the Cullens didn't need to know we had a huge hiccup in our communication.

I entered the spacious living room last to find the vampires seated on or around the couch. Carlisle, his wife, and Jasper—I remembered him because of our first encounter—had the couch. The auburn-haired vamp sat on the arm, while Alice was folded up gracefully on the floor with the big guy beside her, and the blond girl in his lap.

A single chair from the kitchen was set in front of them. I got the chair, not Sam, because I called the meeting, and he already decided to be muscle. I think he didn't want to talk to the vamps, and I couldn't blame him for that. Seeing Carlisle and his coven made this all look like a bad idea. But it was too late to do anything about it; judging by the polite smile on Carlisle's face, he wasn't going anywhere. On the other hand, I didn't like how Blondie was glaring at us. I wondered if it would hold up in the face of a gun.

I took a deep breath and sat in the chair, situating the guns around me. The Striker was loose at my side, but I kept the pistol in view on my lap as a threat. Although, I was pretty sure the guys at my back were threatening enough. They each held onto their guns, glaring. None of us were happy about this meeting.

Well, let's get this show on the road.

"Good to see you again, Carlisle," I said politely—begrudgingly, but polite. I would try to be civil first, but if that didn't get me answers, then, and only then, would I get ugly.

My approach seemed to surprise him. A little of the tension went out of his body, and his smile became more natural. "Yes, good to see you as well, although I must say I'm surprised. I think our current situation is close, but I believe you said the next time we met, I would be staring into your new weapons." He chuckled, and it took me a minute to realize it was a joke.

Jacob didn't get the joke. He stepped forward, sighting down that beautiful AA-12 shotgun. The fledglings held their breath and Jasper looked ready to jump up and fight.

"We can change that," Jake said. He didn't sound like himself. There was a roll of a growl under his words.

Things were starting to get ugly when they weren't supposed to. I wanted to get up and push his arm down, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. He would probably shoot us all by accident if I did that. So I stayed seated, trying to muster up all the calm in my body. It wasn't much.

"Jake, that's really unnecessary," I said. "They haven't done anything yet. Don't point a gun unless you're going to pull the trigger."

"I plan to," he replied in that growling voice. "These _leeches_ shouldn't be here. It isn't their problem."

"It became their problem when I called them and Carlisle had an answer. Now knock it off."

"Jacob." It was one word, just his name, but when Sam said it, it sounded like a threat. It worked. Jake lowered the gun against his will and stepped back. He swallowed his anger because Sam told him to—very interesting.

A cold wind rushed across my skin, and suddenly I wasn't angry at Jake, or worried about Jared. In fact, I felt strangely indifferent about them and our guests. I glanced behind me to see Sam holding his gun with a more relaxed grip, and Jake didn't even hold a shadow of his previous rage.

I shook my head, hoping I could dislodge whatever blocked me from my previous emotions. Something was wrong. Fuck, it was one of them. "What did you do?" I asked, turning back to Carlisle. His eyes were wide and not all that innocent.

"I have no idea what you mean, Bella. I didn't do anything," he answered, smoothing his pant leg. For being a vampire, he sucked at lying.

"One of you did something that made us, I don't know, calm down or something. I don't appreciate it."

"It was me," Jasper said hesitantly, "and I'm sorry. We just want this meeting to go smoothly."

"Why does it matter for you?" I asked. My fingers were running steadily over my pistol, each pass taking me closer to the trigger. Maybe I should shoot one, just to get rid of the impulse. Vampires were for shooting, not conversing.

Carlisle touched Jasper's shoulder; he wanted to do all the talking, to keep all the secrets to himself. Lovely.

"We're as anxious as you are, Bella," Carlisle said. "This isn't a topic our kind likes to discuss, you realize. You may think of us as strong, unmovable creatures, but everyone has fears. Ours is the very darkness you want to find. With any luck we can avoid drawing their attention tonight, but I feel like uttering their name even once will get back to their ears." He stood slowly and turned on the floor lamp beside the sofa. "I've been thinking about that mark you carry since you left, and after a little research, I think I found my answer. First, may I see your mark once more? I believe it will confirm my fears."

Sam held me in my seat before I could move. I looked up to see a calm mask, but there was a wrinkle between his eyebrows that said he wasn't happy. "You're not going to mind-fuck her, are you?"

"I give you my word I won't touch her," he replied. To prove it, he held up his hands.

Sam's hand withdrew. He still wasn't happy, but he liked what Carlisle did. I didn't know why Sam was treating him like a human. Carlisle could snap my neck in the blink of an eye; no one would notice it until I was dead on the floor.

I stood, holstering my pistol, leaving the safety off, and went to the vamp. I heard someone suck in a breath behind me, but apparently he had nothing to say, or Sam gave a crippling glare. Yeah, I already knew it was Jake.

Carlisle kept his hands up by his head as we met between the two sides. His easy smile was still on his face, his whole stance saying he was no threat to us, but I wasn't sure that was true. I didn't trust Carlisle . . . but I didn't _not_ trust him. He saved my life; I didn't think he was going to waste all that hard work now.

Standing so close to him, I had to look at him, and I saw things I never noticed before. His hair was more of a sandy blond than platinum, and he was exactly a head taller than me; my eyes just barely cleared his chest. He still smelled like the dead, that sweet scent of a preserved corpse, but I never noticed how human he looked. Even the lines that showed on his face as he smiled confused me. Was he really a vampire? Well, duh, but he didn't _look_ like a monster. I could almost see why men and women would give themselves up to a vampire. _Almost._

Turning my back to him, I moved my hair aside and pulled the shirt so he could see that ugly "V" in its elegant script. I watched Sam and Jake for any indication that something fishy was happening behind me. There was nothing. They just looked tense and very, very unhappy.

"Turn towards the light, please," Carlisle murmured. I did as he asked and shivered as his cold breath ran down my spine. "Ah, there it is. You may not know this, but you have more than one mark on you. It belongs to those who hold a special place in their vaults."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked.

I felt Carlisle move, the guys raised their guns, but he only traced the air above my skin. "Originally, it may have been placed because she is Charlie Swan's daughter, but there is definitely more to it now. It is not your average mark. It's a crest put on the body during the tattoo process, positioned in the middle of the 'V'. It's applied with vampire venom, giving it a ghostly glow against the skin. It appears as a silver scar, yet is hardly noticeable unless in the right light."

I wheeled around, my eyes bugging out of my head. "What!" I shrieked. "Are you saying I have venom inside me?"

"Not exactly. It's a superficial imprint, meaning no venom would enter the blood stream, but remain in that small area of raised skin so the body cannot heal it. Unlike the other one, this mark is permanent."

My head was spinning. I collapsed into my chair. Permanent? Venom? _Wouldn't that make me a vampire?_ No, it couldn't be true. If I was a vampire, I'd have no trouble killing others, and it seemed I could barely hold my own in a fight anymore. Maybe I was getting weaker? Well, it wouldn't kill me to work out a little. _No, that's not right._

"Stop it!" I nearly pointed my gun at Jasper, but I settled for fisting my shirt in my hands. "I'm allowed to be scared, so stop stealing my emotions, damn it!"

"Would there be others with this mark?" Sam asked. His mind was always on business. I couldn't argue; I really wanted the vamps gone now, too.

Carlisle returned to his seat and took his wife's hand in a comforting gesture. "I'm not sure, but it's possible. Seeing how some of you are humans of extraordinary talent, you may also have the mark. Anyone who piques their interest, and that's usually only strong or important political figures, has the possibility of bearing the mark."

"How about you start explaining who _they_ are," Sam barked.

"Yes, of course." Carlisle sighed heavily. "It's just a matter of how much you need to know and how much I can tell you. Where to begin, is the question. You do not need my life story, so I suppose I will tell you the facts.

"These vampires controlling your area are often referred to as our police. I told Bella they created the vampiric race, and I wasn't lying. They are the oldest of our kind, the very fathers of our existence; though if you ask them personally which started it, I'm not sure you would get an honest answer.

"They call themselves the Volturi. Only three are in charge, yet their guards all act as their coven. I can't tell you exactly how old the father's are, but as far as I'm aware, they have existed since the beginning of time. Perhaps they were never human, but angels, and were part of the fall from Grace.

"When I met them in Italy many, many years ago, I was already in control of my . . . carnal urges. I have never attacked a human, but the Volturi are not so civil. They didn't kill humans for sustenance, they did it for sport. They brought in humans to chase and kill for fun. I hoped to change that. They were the first vampires I had found that were organized, and I enjoyed their company compared to the revenants in England."

"I bet you didn't stay with them for very long," I snapped. I was definitely feeling more myself now.

"I stayed for fifty-two years. I only put up with it for so long because I was sure I could influence them, and for a while, I did. The friendship I found in Aro was what I had needed at the time, and he was willing to be open-minded despite laughing at me when I first arrived."

"Who is Aro?" I hated to ask. The name sounded seriously old and powerful, and just saying it sent a chill down my spine.

"Aro is one of the three fathers. He acts as the head of the Volturi. He is usually the voice of reason amongst them, but don't be fooled; he's anything but sane. He is perhaps the strongest of them with his odd power, yet I feel it wears on his mentality."

"What kind of power?" Embry asked, almost excitedly.

Carlisle opened his mouth to answer, but closed it and shook his head. "Let us come back to that in a bit. I'd rather make my point then answer questions."

"How about you skip all the pretty words and tell us what I asked you here for," I suggested.

He grinned. "Very well, I will try to be blunt and skip the 'pretty words.'" The smile slipped away. "These men are terribly powerful. I'm not sure if they completely understand just how much they hold, and it's because of this I say there is no way you can get your battalion into their domain. They could kill you all with a flick of their wrist."

"You don't know what we can do."

"True enough, but I know what you want to do, and I know what the Volturi have to counter your modern weapons. It's public knowledge in our world who you are, Bella. Not just because of your work with this resistance group, but because Aro has singled you out."

I felt the confusion on my face as I asked, "What?"

"The Volturi are always looking to expand their powerbase. Aro has sent some of his most skilled killers after you, and they never returned. What does that tell him? You are a very powerful force to be reckoned with, and he wants that strength."

"That's impossible," I said with a weak voice. "The vamps that I fought were amateurs."

Jake cleared his throat, and I jumped. "What you fought might've been babies," he said darkly, "but the leeches we found in the forest when we swept the town were a hundred times worse. They knew what they were doing."

I almost asked him when he went hunting vampires, but that would make me look stupid in front of the Cullens. I thought I had a man's reasoning inside me, but maybe I was too female for my own good. It was bad enough that I couldn't hold onto my emotions, I didn't need to be an emotional and stupid woman to them. "Then . . . I didn't kill them. Why is he after me? It's _you_ he should be looking for!"

An ugly, evil grin spread his lips. "He doesn't know that. We made sure none of them made it back."

"But Bella," Carlisle interrupted, "don't you see how this works in your favor? You'll be untouched in their underground. No one will try you; they think you're an unparalleled vampire hunter."

I shook my head in disbelief. All of this just seemed too unreal. An ancient vampire wanted me to join his guards, or something like that? Why? All because he believed I killed a few of his men? There was no way someone would buy into that—I sure wasn't. "Wait, wait, wait." I waved my hands in front of my face, his words just catching up in my thought process. "You said that—_in their underground_—like we're not going in guns-a-blazin'. What was that about?"

He almost looked embarrassed. "I came up with a plan on short notice, and we will get to that, but wouldn't you rather know about your father first?"

My heart leapt into my throat. "Charlie? What about him? Is he okay? Do you know?"

"Well, no, I'm not sure of his physical safety, but I know why he was taken. Apparently, it was an attempt to bait you. Aro figures if he can draw you into the dark, he can claim you. It's true. However, with your consent, I have a plan to stop my old friend. Have you come up with anything yet?"

That question wasn't for me. "Our intel is slow going," Sam answered. "But with what you've told us, and if you're willing to answer some questions, I'm sure we can have a solid plan in a few hours. I'm willing to hear you out, though."

The surprise on Carlisle's face was instant and real. I guess he thought we would run the show with no input from the peanut gallery. We needed his information; that's why I called him. "It was the best I could come up with on such short notice. You might not like it, but we can alter details if you want. As you know, I have an intimate knowledge of how Aro works and my . . . specialist knows how the coven is run. The quickest, though perhaps not the safest way, to free Charlie and destroy the Volturi is to get Bella inside. Yet it won't work unless she puts on an act."

"Wait. _Just _Bella, and what kind of act?" Jake asked gruffly.

"Yes. I suggest only Bella because sending anyone else would be too unconventional. There might be a stronger person, but there is no stronger player than her. Aro wants her, no one else, yet his greed makes him blind and weak. Knowing she is so close, but can't have her, will drive him mad. It may jeopardize my coven in the process. When Aro learns one of mine 'captured' his prized jewel, he will think we are stronger than him. But I have a feeling Bella will not make it easy for any of us with her stubbornness."

"What are you getting at?" Sam asked, and his voice was definitely less friendly.

"Bella can play the role of a Renfield. It will get her inside and—"

"What does a Renfield even do for the vampire?" Sam interrupted. I was about to ask the same thing. I knew a little bit about their job, but I wanted to know what I was getting into.

"They are basically a human shield," Carlisle said uncomfortably. "A Renfield protects their master, and is always available for a donation at any time. They are very different from a"—he tried to find a better word, but we all knew what he meant to say—"scarlet woman. Renfield's work for their master, they protect their master. They often run errands in the daylight. Of course, Bella won't have to do any of that except when she's around the Volturi, which shouldn't be often, if our plan goes correctly. My son will do all the work."

"Which son?" I asked, because I was getting tired of them talking over my head. I didn't care if they were each group's leader, I wasn't a bargaining chip.

Carlisle made a motion, and Jasper slowly stood up. He looked uncomfortable surrounded by guns, but they weren't pointed at him yet; after we had started on the wrong foot, things seemed to be going smoothly now. Stiffly, he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, and turned his wrist over so we all could see the dark outline on the thin skin. It looked like a crest, but I couldn't be sure from where I sat. How was it even on his skin? A vampire couldn't get a tattoo, could it? The skin would heal over it.

"I used to be a part of their elite guard," he explained. "I wasn't happy with where my life was going, so I left them . . . abruptly, I should say. But with any luck, I can get my spot back, making it easier to move around the facility. It's true that it would kill Aro for her to be within reach, but there are certain rules that even he follows, and if you, Bella, are okay with it, we can appear as master and Renfield."

Silence stretched on as I contemplated what he said. My body was cold, and I think I was going into shock. I heard what he said, I just couldn't believe it. Walk into a huge coven of murderous vampires with only Jasper to protect me? I didn't bother counting myself. I couldn't fend off a coven, especially with them being so old. They could kill me with a look.

I stared at Jasper, and he stared back. Be his Renfield? What would I do? Look pretty and smile for the Volturi? I knew it meant one thing particularly, and I definitely didn't like that. He would have to bite me. No. No, no, no. Absolutely not.

"I can't," I croaked. "I can't do it."

"There's no other way," Carlisle said sadly. "Your entire force cannot get inside, but you and Jasper could easily do their job. You could be the hero here."

"It's not about being a hero, it's about staying alive. And there's no way I trust my safety with a vampire."

"I'm with Bella on this," Sam said. "Hell will freeze over before she goes into that pit alone."

"I agree," the blond female sneered. We all looked at her with our confusion. She stood and held her pretty head high, glaring at me. "I don't want my brother sacrificing himself just to save one person. He shouldn't have to go back to that awful place for you."

Because Carlisle was here, and I trusted him to keep his fledglings in check, I glared right back at her. I wasn't afraid of her, but she seemed easy to anger. We didn't need an angry vampire on our hands.

"Rosalie, we talked about this on the way over." Carlisle sighed.

"I don't care! I'm not happy about this, and you always encourage us to speak our minds. I'm not going to sit quietly while you order Jasper to go back to that nightmare. Why should we endanger ourselves for some humans? They can obviously take care of themselves. They're armed to the teeth. I think the girl should go alone—by herself, without one of us."

"Rosie-bear," Emmett said anxiously.

"No, Emmett, no pet names. I'm not going to calm down. This is ridiculous! I agree with the Volturi. Humans should be killed, they don't mean anything. We shouldn't have to die for them."

"I don't need a vampire to protect me," I argued.

"Oh really? Then go. Go right into their nest and kill all them. I'll wait right here. I'm sure you'll make it back just fine on your own." She placed a hand on her jutted hip. The picture of condescension.

"Or we could send her with Edward," Emmett said with a grin.

Edward stiffened on the couch arm. Apparently we weren't the only ones with problems in our camp; the vamps were even feuding.

Rosalie scoffed. "He would kill her before they got there."

"Rose," Carlisle hissed, and it was the first time he sounded dangerous. She didn't look sorry at all.

"You see the way he looks at her. He tried to kill her before he brought her to the house, and he stalked her even when she was under your protection. He watched her while she _slept_, Carlisle. Just let Edward kill her so we can be done with this."

"Go wait outside, Rosalie," Carlisle said with a dark voice. With his anger, he was slowly starting to look like the monster he really was.

She immediately backed down. That condescending smirk disappeared to fear and worry. Her master gave her an order; all her free will just flew out the window. There was no room for argument. With a quiet sob, she left the house. There was a pregnant pause, and then Emmett jumped up to go after her. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until it came out as a hard gasp.

Carlisle sighed and took his seat again. He was back to being a man, not a master. I knew about the authority a master held over his fledglings—blood ties were a bitch—but I never saw it in action. To know someone could mutter just a few words to control you was scary.

But what was scarier was finding out I hadn't been wrong. I was watched while in Portland. I glanced at Edward to find him just as uncomfortable as I felt. Did he really watch me while I slept? And what did Rosalie mean when she said he almost killed me? I knew I was a bloody mess when I arrived at the Cullen house, but Edward didn't seem that young. I'd guess he was at least fifty. Couldn't he control himself? Did Carlisle's way of life make them more susceptible to human blood?

I pushed the fear aside. I'd deal with it later. Right now I fought not to hyperventilate, but that didn't stop me from pulling my Striker closer. These vamps were getting under my skin, and I didn't like it.

"I apologize for Rosalie's rude behavior," Carlisle said tiredly. They didn't get tired, so I knew it was an act. "She's just worried for our family, as we all are."

"Did you force Jasper to put himself on the chopping block?" I asked with a shaking voice. _Fuck, pull it together, Bella._ I cleared my throat and tried again. "That was some serious power you had. You can make your fledglings do anything, huh?"

He looked shocked. "Of course not. I told Jasper what I had been thinking, and he offered to do it. His connections to the Volturi are strong."

"But I want to put an end to it," Jasper added. "It's wrong how they treat humans. They need to be stopped."

"Do you have a master there? Is that why you want to go back, to kill him?" That was fine with me. He could kill his target while I burned the rest.

"Kill my mistress, yes. I know what she's planning, and I want to stop it before it's too late."

"So . . . if I agree to this, that means we would go in there, kill anything that moves—together, no Lone Ranger crap—and free my dad and any salvageable humans. Do I have that right?"

"Yes, but there's a catch."

"With vampires, there's _always_ a catch."

He chuckled. "And you're not going to be happy about it. If I am to regain my spot among the guard, I can't go in with golden eyes; Aro knows all about gold eyes. And if you are going to play my Renfield, that means we need a connection. For both our sanities, I won't make you my real Renfield, but I still need to"—he made a waffling motion with his hand, searching for a word, I think—"smell like you. Renfield's are a walking blood bank for their master, as you well know."

"No way," Jake growled. He stepped in front of me, glaring down that huge body to meet my eyes. "You can't let a vampire bite you. That goes against everything you've fought for."

I sighed. "Mind your own business, Jake. We've been through this."

"He can mess with your mind, Bella."

Edward snorted, and Jake turned that glare on him. "You got something to say?"

He shrugged. "Slip of the tongue," was his stand-offish answer. I caught the mysterious smile that passed between him and Alice that disappeared in a blink. Jake didn't notice; he turned back to Sam.

"You can't let her do this," he whined. Because that's what it was now; not anger, not fear, just whining. He didn't want me to do this, and really, neither did I.

"She can do whatever she wants," Sam replied. "I'm not happy about it, but if she feels it will save Charlie sooner, then she should do it. She won't be alone, Jake. And we'll scout the area, set up forces where we can before she goes down." He looked down and I met his eyes. "Are you going to do this, Bella?"

I tightened my grip on the Striker. Could I really do it? Throw everything I've ever learned to the wind and let some vampire I didn't know bite and protect me? No, I couldn't. But I could act like a girl and suck up my pride. I wasn't doing this for me. I was doing it for all the humans the Volturi captured and killed. I was doing it for Harry, and Seth and Tyler, and for Charlie. If I thought I'd do stupid stuff for Charlie, this was suicidal.

With a heavy sigh, I nodded. "When do we start?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

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_Wow, what a response! I love ALL my readers, and thank you to everyone who reviews! You are what keeps me writing and churning out these chapters for your viewing pleasure.  
And, of course, my lovely beta, GreatChemistry, who lights a fire under my fingers and makes these chapters understandable. Thank you for everything! I love you oh so much!  
I hope everyone is starting to see the domino/Tetris effect I had talked about. Anyone seeing it all coming together? Don't look too hard; there are a few pieces yet to fall!_

_I have a few quick announcements, for those of you who don't visit my profile page often.  
**Cauchemar Vivant has been NOMINATED!** Yes, I'm so excited! And it's all thanks to you readers! I've been nominated for Best Underling over at The Howling Wolf Awards.  
**Voting begins January 11**. If you feel CV is an under appreciated fic, check out my profile for the link.  
Also, I'm kind of intimidated... there are some heavy hitters (cough3todreamcoughysarcough) in my category._

_And don't forget that **nominations for the Indie Twific Awards begin January 18. **It would mean so much to me if you nominated CV (:_

_Can't wait for CV Friday's? Remember that raw teasers of the next chapter are posted on my website between Monday's and Wednesday's!  
Alright, enjoy this particular steamy chapter, and don't forget to review! ;)_

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"I thought Charlie raised you better!" Jake bellowed. He was nearly in my face, yelling and whining his disapproval. "What were you thinking when you agreed to that? Are you stupid? Do you _want_ to die?"

They were good questions, but I diligently ignored him. He was starting to repeat himself now. I wondered what the Cullens thought of the one-sided conversation. They were still seated downstairs, patiently waiting, and listening, while we sorted things out in our camp.

"Jake, calm down," Sam said softly. He was obviously aware of the vamps' excellent hearing, but even he sounded distressed. "This isn't the way—"

"Am I the only one upset about this?" he crowed. "She's going to get herself killed!"

"I haven't agreed to let her go. Now shut up or I will make you."

Jake immediately closed his mouth. He looked almost ready to explode now. I never saw him so angry before, but I guess if one of my friends had agreed to enter a vampire's nest with another vampire, I'd freak out too. He paced the floor from the door to the bed, but I knew that wouldn't calm him down.

Us humans—or should I say not-so-human humans?—had moved upstairs for a round of tantrums in the master bedroom. Of course, that was after Embry brought the Marines up from the basement. All ten men were armed and positioned around the living room. I'm not sure if they realized the Cullens weren't human, or if they just did everything Embry told them to do without question. Seriously, what was up with that? I knew army men were big on debts, so did Embry save all their lives or something?

"You can't let that thing bite you, Bella," Jake mumbled while he walked. Sam gave him a dark look.

I didn't want to, but I had to. I already agreed, and I wasn't going to back out now. Someone had to save Charlie. If infiltrating the nest was the only way, I had to do it. Unfortunately, I didn't look at the big picture. It was only _after_ I had agreed to be Jasper's Renfield that I was told he wasn't as trained as the others. In vampire years, he was still new to Carlisle's diet, which meant he didn't have the impressive self-control that Carlisle did.

Sure, any vampire could kill a human by taking too much blood, but I had a feeling Jasper wouldn't stop there. He would probably suck the marrow from my bones, too.

And that's how we ended up here.

We stood around the bedroom. None of us wanted to sit down; I think our nerves were too frazzled for any of us to really hold still. I fought to keep my hands down at my sides instead of hugging myself. I was feeling open and vulnerable, and with the accusing looks my friends were giving me, it made me feel worse.

"You can't let her go in there," Jake said stiffly. "They're lying to her. They want to kill her. You heard the blond one!"

"I think someone needs a time out," Embry chuckled from his corner.

Jake immediately turned on him. "I think someone needs to mind his own damn business."

"Hey, I got roped into this. It isn't Forks exclusive."

"No one asked you to be here," Jake growled.

"Guys!" Sam's authoritative snap made us all jump. His face was dark with his anger, and I worried I would get the brunt of it. He pointed a thick finger at me and said one word. "Explain."

I doubled my resolve and stood up straight. I wasn't afraid of my own friends. Sure, I might've been scared of being alone with the vamps, and going into a huge nest, and maybe I was scared that I would be too late to save Charlie—but my friends? If I was afraid of them, why would I be here?

"No. You need to explain some things; otherwise I'm leaving with the Cullens immediately," I answered sternly. "Tell me what happened outside with Jared. Was that really Paul?"

"Drop it, Bella," Sam said. "It's none of your business, and there are more important things to discuss."

I glanced at the door. As if he was ordered, Embry went to lean against the door, effectively blocking me in. I'd jump out the window if it wouldn't make me look childish.

"Yeah, so maybe there is," I relented, "but I don't like how you're keeping secrets. I told you my secret before it showed up. I could've kept this whole thing to myself and met the Cullens alone. I could've been in Seattle by now, and you wouldn't even know. What happened to us being able to tell each other anything?"

Sam sighed and shook his head. I knew exactly what he was thinking. _I'm tired, and she's being a pain in the ass_. Yup, that was exactly what he thought. "I never thought you needed to know. You hung out with Seth all the time. Didn't he tell you?"

The sound of his name made me cold. I finally gave into the urge and crossed my arms over my chest, hugging myself, trying to hold onto my warmth. "What . . . what could he have told me?"

"What only a Quileute can tell you."

"What? That some people explode into hulking . . . oh my God. The legend?"

Sam nodded.

How could I possibly forget? Why didn't it connect sooner? I'd heard their legends so many times before, but just like that day Seth and I went to the beach, we made fun of it. We never put much stock in people turning into wolves. Then I saw Jared transform. The giant wolf had been what was described in those stories, the way men could shift at will. I stayed standing, but it was an effort.

"Who else can do it?" I asked breathlessly.

"Me and Jacob," replied Sam. "We were waiting to see if Seth would shift; usually siblings set each other off." That meant Leah had already shifted before. Sam looked over to Embry, who was staring at the far wall. "Embry's mom doesn't come from La Push, so we think he inherited it from his dad or granddad."

"Seriously?"

Embry scoffed, his voice taking on an ugly edge. "Yeah, and it got me kicked out of the military. I was on my way to colonel when some wanna-be mad scientist outed me after my first change. There were blood tests, court appearances, too many exams to count. Everything came back weird. They said I was 'sick'; called it a _fatal disease_. I guess the official papers say I was KIA, but really, I said _fuck it_ and left before they could serve the papers. But you know the government; they're willing to cover up anything."

"What about the other Marines?" I asked.

"We're all friends. They knew something was up, and when they found out what was happening, they just . . . dropped out or something, I don't know. None of us have gotten picked up yet, so I guess the military didn't care enough about us to track down the freak."

Wow. I would have never guessed. Poor Embry. From the sound of it, the military had been his life. I couldn't imagine being torn away from something so important. But he was still seeing action, so it wasn't all bad, right? He was fighting things stronger than humans. If I were in his shoes, that little fact would make me a happy camper.

But I had always wondered what made the Quileute's great Super Soldiers; turned out they weren't completely human. Good to know, but kind of frightening. Good because, according to the legend, they could kill vampires easily; scary because if they thought like wild wolves, well, I didn't want to be around them. Unfortunately, this new piece of information had me searching the darkest corners of my mind to find any other legends. If vampires and werewolves were real, what else was true? Fuck, maybe I should've listened closer to the elders.

"Now what about you?" Sam asked me, interrupting my musing. "Why did you agree to go in with the vampire?"

Good question. I had a crappy answer. "They have Charlie. If the situation was reversed, and I had been taken, he would do anything to get me back. He would risk his life with a bunch of vampires to save me."

"Charlie wouldn't do that," Jake cut in with a growl. "He would go in shooting, not this undercover crap you think you can pull. Charlie would find a way to bomb the place! The vamps are lying to you, Bella. They'll take you down there and kill you."

"No they won't," I said, trying to control my anger. I told Jake I wouldn't argue with him anymore, and I was going to be sure I wasn't the one to start screaming first. "The Cullens are different from other vampires. Haven't you wondered why their eyes are gold instead of red? They don't eat humans."

"You can't take everything at face value."

"It's true! I was in their house. None of them tried to attack me. They were basically human! Didn't you hear Carlisle down there? He never attacked a human—he came out of the grave munching on animals. He's a doctor, Jake. He _saves_ people. If that doesn't say compassion, I don't know what does."

My last sentence seemed to echo in the room. Everyone was silent. The once accusing eyes were now wide with shock.

That didn't sound like me. I would never say something like that, especially about vampires. Only a bloodwhore would defend a vampire. But I was never bitten! Were they messing with my head? No, they could only do that if I'd been bitten. Oh_ shit_.

I defended a vampire of my own free will.

Jake was the first to move. He let loose an animalistic growl that made me jump away from him, pulling my pistol.

"If you shift, I will shoot you," I said weakly, already sighting down the gun.

A tremor ran up his arms. "Why? To protect your _precious_ leeches?"

"No, because I'm fucking scared."

Embry slipped between Jake and me with ease. He came to stand beside me. "Then you don't need to be aiming your gun. He's faster than your reflexes, anyway. Just put it away, Bella."

"Jacob, step outside the room," Sam ordered.

"If I go out there, I'm gonna kill all of them," Jake rumbled.

"No you won't. Now go."

Embry took my elbow and moved me away from the door, away from Jake. It made me look weak, but I was being a girl right now, not a guy, so I didn't complain. If I wanted to be a guy, I would've holstered my gun, stood defiantly in Jake's way, and glared at him. I would show him I wasn't afraid of him, but I already admitted to being scared. Scared of my best friend turning into a giant wolf, scared of the Cullens, and scared of myself. If I verbally defended a vampire, what else would I do for one?

Embry sat me on the bed, and when the door closed firmly behind Jacob, Sam knelt in front of me. Now he looked worried.

"Are you okay, Bella?" he asked. "You're not acting like yourself."

"I just defended a vampire," I whispered stupidly.

"Yes, you did."

"I sounded like a bloodwhore. I don't have a mark."

"Are you sure?"

"I checked everywhere on me! I know what they look like, but I have nothing. No scar. Nothing!"

He placed a warm hand on my clammy forehead. "How are you feeling? Sick? Do you feel compelled or attached to one of them? Are they messing with you?"

I shook my head, dislodging his hand. "No, no, I feel normal just . . . vulnerable. It's stupid. I should have kept my mouth shut."

Sam stood over me and wrapped me in his big arms. I pressed my face against his shirt, hoping I wouldn't cry. It was a fluke—a scary fluke, but one nonetheless. It probably happened because I wanted to believe there was good in the Cullens now that I was going to be around them.

I pulled out of the hug first. I had to get a grip. This wasn't me. I wasn't afraid of anything. Okay, so that wasn't true, but I couldn't be afraid. I was a vampire hunter. And with that, a calming wave came over me, washing the fear away. I could breathe again.

It seemed to affect Sam, too. With a stubborn set to his jaw, his mind was back on business. "This is ultimately your decision, Bella. You're the one the Volturi wants. You spent some time with the Cullens. Is their word any good?"

"Carlisle's is, but I don't know about the rest," I said. "I never really talked to any of them . . . besides Alice, that is. She might be able to be trusted."

"The black-haired one, right?" he asked. I nodded. "Do you think Jasper can be trusted?"

"Well, I think he's Alice's mate. He doesn't seem too bad, and we spoke briefly before. Kinda." _Kinda_ meaning, when Jasper shoved my face into the floor the first time we met.

"What does that mean?"

"It doesn't matter right now. I'm about to get bitten by a vampire that might kill me, that's what matters." I rubbed my temples. "I don't know how to do this. What if he bites me, and I'm instantly bound to him?"

"That's a question for the vampires," Embry said. "How about you make your final decision so we can get moving? I need a location if you want us set up around the area."

That's right. They still had yet to tell us where the Volturi were located in Seattle. Was it bad or just that big of a secret?

Sam sighed. "You're right, Embry. I want to scout the area before she goes down. I want to know every exit and entrance accessible to humans. We should know who goes in and out of the building or tunnel or wherever they are and at what times."

Embry gave that mocking salute and grin. "Right away, boss man. I'll do my best to get your information."

He left the room without even being asked. I guess he took Sam's thoughts as orders and was going to get to work. I looked up to Sam. I knew he was disappointed about my choice, but what else was he thinking? That all this was crazy? Did he want to quit and go home?

Oh, I'd love to be able to do that, but Charlie was still missing and my house was two streets away, burnt to the ground. When all this was over, where would we go? Would Charlie want to stay in Forks? Duh, of course he would; he wouldn't let all the hard work go to waste. He'd want to relish the freedom of his town.

What about Sam's fiancé? Would Sam live with her?

"So what is it, Bella?" he asked. "Are you really going to do this?"

"I already said I would. I'm not going back on it," I said. "It doesn't matter if my bones are shaking; I'm gonna to do this. I have to. It's for Charlie."

"It's not always about other people. Think about yourself, be selfish."

I shook my head. "It's not just about Charlie, Sam. It's for everyone in Forks. It's even about me, because I want those monsters dead for what they've done to our town."

He held up his hands in defeat. "Charlie will have my head when he finds out I let you down there, but he only has himself to blame. You're his daughter; you inherited his stubbornness. I know if I told you not to go, you would sneak out under my nose and come back in a body bag."

"Or end up in a vampire-run hospital in Seattle. They could always finish what their master started," I said casually. "If Aro starts anything."

"Worst case scenario?"

"Worst case scenario," I agreed.

"Then you better not get injured down there."

I grinned and held up a hand. "Scout's honor, Captain."

"That's _Lieutenant_, and you were never a scout of any kind."

"I was upset they wouldn't let me be a Boy Scout!"

He laughed and pulled me off the bed, onto my feet. "Come on. Let's go talk to the big bad vampires. Maybe you'll make it out of their grasps scar-free."

My laugh had turned a little hysterical when he said that. Me, scared of a few vampires? _Never._ But I really wasn't looking forward to the bite. What if he did kill me? Then who would save Charlie?

Jacob wasn't in the hall or the living room, and Embry was out of sight, but all the Marines were where we left them. I assumed Jake and Embry were in the kitchen, because as long as there was a vampire outside, no one would go there. Yeah, Rosalie still hadn't been invited back in, and Emmett didn't come back inside either. If I couldn't see the gleam of blond hair through the window behind the couch, I'd have said they took off. She wouldn't dare defy her master after embarrassing him like that.

I wondered if it was cold out there for them. It was the middle of November, after all. Did vampires feel the cold? I shook my head. _Not important; mind on business, Bella._ I had a feeling Jasper had something to do with my wandering mind. I still wasn't sure what exactly his power was, but I knew it dealt with manipulation, and I didn't like it.

The Cullens were still in their spots. Did they even blink while we were gone? Did they shift at all? They looked tense, and I guess that was to be expected. They were surrounded by trained professionals. There was no guarantee the Marines could shoot faster than the Cullens could move, but I was willing to bet it would be close.

Sam told the Marines they could go back to sleep, but they refused to move. Apparently they only listened to Embry and weren't informed that their boss had a boss of his own. Sam was leading the whole operation; Embry answered to him.

He must have heard his men from the kitchen, because Embry stuck his head through the doorway and told them, "Listen to the good man, fellas. He's in charge of everyone, including you, so go back to sleep. Oh, by the way, boss man, they're withholding information." Embry disappeared again. Whatever was happening in the kitchen must've been important.

And with that, the living room seemed to get larger as the Marines filed down into the basement. I heard someone sigh behind us and turned to find the Cullens relaxing, or shifting nervously. Glad to know I wasn't the only one who was intimidated by the Marines. They were some big dudes.

When the final man closed the door behind him, Sam sat in the kitchen chair that we hadn't bothered to move while I stood beside him. I wasn't muscle, but Sam had negotiations to make for information. He got the chair because I was done talking to them. I was going to be bitten and dragged into the lowest circle of Hell. My part was done.

Carlisle spoke before Sam could get a word out. "I know what you're thinking, but it's not as bad as he makes it sound. If I had offered the information to your Marines, they would have alerted the guards, and we would not be able to get within ten feet of the area. They don't exactly look like civilians who live in the Seattle area, and the Volturi would spot this difference."

"They're trained to blend in with the public," Embry replied, appearing on the other side of Sam. He took a bite of the sandwich he had in his hand. "I think you just don't want us to know your dirty secrets. Trying to get us to go in blind—shame, shame."

"Why keep the location to yourself?" Sam asked.

"If you can promise to keep the Marines off of the premises, I will tell you," Carlisle answered.

"What would happen if they scouted the area?"

"Very bad things," Alice said from her spot on the floor. "As long as nothing appears out of the ordinary before Bella gets inside, everything will be fine. You can send the Marines out after she's safely in the catacombs."

I balked. "Safely in _where?_"

"Loose lips, Alice," Carlisle chided lightly. She giggled.

The tension returned. A catacomb was not the scenery I had in mind. I did _not_ want to walk through a hallway made of bones.

"Alright, enough with the cloak and dagger shit. Where are the Volturi located?" Sam wasn't fooling around anymore. "I can't speak for the Marines, but my people won't get near the area. Embry?"

"I like the spunky chick," said Embry. There was a mysterious grin on his face. "Seems like she knows too much, and that's always a good thing. If you say it's a bad idea, I'll keep my men here until Bella's underground."

Alice matched his grin with one of her own. Was Embry associating with the vampires behind our backs?

Carlisle commanded the room's attention back to him. "Very well. The location of the Volturi is actually no secret; their nest is very public, with a constant flow of people daily. They reside underneath St. James Cathedral, in the natural catacombs of Seattle's underground."

"Under a church?" Sam asked with a hint of surprise.

"Yes. It does seem a little unnatural, doesn't it? But we are not affected by holy items, and we can enter a church without bursting into flames. In fact, I used to attend church weekly before I started working Sunday's."

Sam and I shared a questioning look. What kind of vampires hid underneath a church? I thought we would have to pass through some underwater cavern on the outskirts of Seattle. Nope, just walk through a church. How . . . anti-climatic. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

"So they're stationed under a church," Sam repeated. "Was that the best they could do on short notice, or does it mean something to them?"

Carlisle took a second to think about it. "Well, I suppose they chose the cathedral because it resembles their home. I'm sure you've seen it. St. James Cathedral towers over all the other buildings with its high pillars; it's decorated in an elegant, almost ancient way. Yes, I think that's why they chose it."

"Actually, it's because of the tunnels," answered Jasper. "I never saw their home in Italy, but I've heard stories about the town and the clock tower, and apparently the masters were pleased they found something that resembled it. But the truth is, they moved to the cathedral because of the underground tunnels. They stretch everywhere in the city, and we could be in a different part of the town in the blink of an eye. There's also a naturally formed dungeon in the undercroft, but it's been blocked off from the public and never mentioned. The Volturi still use it, along with the new expansions they've made."

"What kind of expansions?" Sam asked.

"The last time I was there, they were adding more space to the dungeon area and living quarters, and fitting certain parts for electricity."

"When were you last with the Volturi?"

"It's been fifty-six years. I was turned in 1863 in Texas and after a few years of solitude, I was brought to the Seattle branch of the Volturi. Alice found me around 1950 and that was when I was introduced to my new life." He offered way more information than necessary, but it was helpful. Sam wouldn't have to ask any more questions about his age.

I did the math in my head. Jasper had been with the Volturi for eighty-seven years, and then disappeared for fifty-six years. He was at least one hundred forty-three years old, give or take some years. That was a long time to live. It made for a tough vampire. "So you don't really know your way around their nest anymore," I said.

Jasper smiled humorlessly. "They are not modern vampires, Bella. They wouldn't change with the times. I'm certain the nest is much the same. Moving around is not the problem; getting the clearance to go certain places is. They do not let their guards run wherever they please. You earn the right."

"You earn their trust."

"Exactly. My departure will make them wary of my return, but I have a strong feeling when I show you off, I'll be back in the elite guard. Showing that I can tame Aro's prized jewel will definitely earn me. . . ." He struggled to find the word.

"Brownie points," Alice supplied. "When Aro sees you, Bella, he won't care about Jasper's past; he'll worry about Jasper's future. Jasper has something he wants, and Aro will try every trick in the book to make Jasper give you up."

"Why am I so special to him, anyway?" I asked. "You never really told us that."

"We don't know the reason. We only know that Aro singled you out because he thinks you're infallible. Other than that?" She shrugged.

Sam spoke up. "And how do you even know that much?"

Alice looked up to Carlisle, who nodded. She turned back to us with a smile. "I have a special ability that lets me see the future. It's never concrete, because the future is always changing, but if someone makes a certain decision, I can see a long list of outcomes. Like earlier, when you wanted to send the big guys out to the cathedral, I saw all the terrible things that would happen. It would've triggered every alarm. There was a major lockdown, and Charlie's death—even Jessica and Lauren. They're down there, and Aro is planning to use them against you. I've been watching Aro since you called, Bella. His insanity makes it hard to see him, he's constantly changing his mind, but I know he has Charlie, and he's impatiently waiting for your arrival."

I felt cold again. He knew we were coming? Well, I kind of guessed he would expect me to show up sooner or later, but did he know what we had planned? If Aro thought I was impossible to catch, wouldn't he wonder how Jasper "tamed" me? I swallowed the lump in my throat. I couldn't back out. I had to do this.

"Well what are we waiting for?" My voice broke on the way out, and I fought to control my nerves. "Let's not keep the old vamp waiting."

"Before we get started," Carlisle said hurriedly, "how do you feel about all this, Bella? Are you sure you're comfortable with this plan?"

"Sure, sure," I answered, and it sounded rushed and panicked even to my own ears. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we finish and have Seattle back in proper control."

The truth was I was anything but calm. Inside I was a trembling mess. This plan went against everything I was ever taught, everything I was raised to believe. Vampires were not our allies; we didn't use them to kill other vamps. We killed vampires, not trust them to watch our back. And we definitely did not invite a vamp to bite us on purpose! But I had to go through with it. I might have to get Sam to hold me down during that part. I didn't want to rely on my instincts and accidentally shoot Jasper after he promised to get himself killed with me.

The look Carlisle gave me made me squirm. He wasn't convinced. No one was convinced.

Finally, I confessed, "Look, I'm not happy about it, and you can't expect me to be. This is way out of my comfort zone. But this isn't about me being comfortable. I'm doing this for Charlie and all the people in Seattle. I'm going to find out why these ancient vampires came to America, and I'm going to put an end to it. If I get myself killed during the process"—I bit my lip briefly, steeling my nerves—"then I die knowing I did everything I could. But I won't go down easy; I _will_ take someone with me."

Silence stretched in the room. Sam's face clearly said he was unhappy with me, but he couldn't stop me now. My mind was officially made up. I was going to go into an ancient vampire's nest, free Charlie, try to kill the vampire and all his fledglings, and make it out alive. If that meant I had to trust a vampire to watch my back, damn it, I'd do it.

Embry sighed and gave himself a little shake. Was it a shudder? "I'd hate to be the vampire that crosses your path. You sure are a crazy bitch, and I wish you the best of luck. I'm gonna head downstairs and see if my men have any incendiary ammo left. You'll need it."

I didn't tell him I had yet to use my incendiary ammo, but I thanked him anyway. I would need as much ammunition as I could get. When the flags went up, I wanted to make sure only me, Jasper, and Charlie would be getting out alive.

Carlisle gave me a small smile. "Then it's time to move. The weather calls for clear skies in the morning, so you want to be below ground before dawn."

I looked to the digital clock above the TV. Almost two o'clock in the morning. Where did the time go?

"How long will the bite take?" I asked.

"Not long," Jasper replied. "I might need a few minutes afterward to compose myself, of course. It's been a long time since my last taste of human blood, and there is something . . . different about your blood. Your smell is stronger than other humans."

"Stronger?" I resisted the urge to smell myself. It was a vampire thing; whatever he smelled, I wouldn't be able to pick it up. How creepy was it that a vamp could smell blood underneath the skin? Very.

"Maybe it's because I have Edward's emotions to influence me, but yes, it smells sweeter than normal human blood. I'd say you're diabetic, but they always had a slight sour aftertaste." He chuckled and the smile that appeared on his face made me cringe. It was way too happy, way too flirty. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."

I ignored the suggestive look and focused on the important part. We really didn't have time for it—after all, we still had to drive to Seattle—but the way they kept talking about Edward made me uncomfortable. "What about Edward? Rosalie mentioned him before, and if he's going to try to kill me, I want some warning now."

Carlisle was about to say something when Alice popped in, grinning at the glowering statue on the sofa arm. Why was she always smiling? "You already decided to go; you don't trust Jasper alone with her. So, Edward, why not speak for yourself?"

Edward came to life. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Alice his best glare. "We don't have time, Alice," he snapped. But I heard the words he didn't want to say.

"Oh, we have plenty of time," I encouraged, almost irritably. It was a wonder I wasn't fondling my guns. "I want to know why your coven keeps mentioning us together."

"They are my family, not my coven, and it's only stupidity that brings the conversations back to me." He turned to his family. "So I made a mistake. Can we let it go now?"

"Edward loves you," chimed Alice with a laugh. My jaw dropped.

"_Alice!" _he hissed.

"I'm kidding! It's not love, but wouldn't it be hilarious? Like some kind of fairytale; a vampire falls in love with a human. I was kidding, Bella, really. But there is some kind of interest or infatuation; he can't hear your thoughts, and it's driving him crazy."

"Shut up, Alice!"

"So he's a mind reader?" Sam asked, not at all bothered by Edward's rage.

Alice nodded. "Exactly, and Bella is blocking him somehow. She's the first one to ever do it. He thought he heard her once, but she was only talking in her sleep. I asked him to put a clock in the guest room—he stayed there for hours, watching, listening. If it wasn't so interesting to watch, I'd say it was creepy."

I closed my mouth and turned my eyes to Edward, who was trying very hard to look everywhere but at me. If vampires could blush, I was sure he would be red from head to toe. I almost felt sorry for him, but I couldn't. Rosalie had said he tried to kill me even while I was dying. He _watched_ me _sleep!_ That alone was just . . . _weird_. I didn't even want to think about it.

I shook my head, waving my heads in front of my face. "That's just weird. Don't tell me anymore. And he is _not_ coming with us to the church."

"Actually, I am," Edward spat. "Do you really think Jasper will be able to watch over you and move through the underground at the same time? You need more than one of us with you. Besides, Jasper already asked me to oversee the biting."

"If you think you're biting me too, you better think again!"

Carlisle interrupted our spat with his always calm voice. "Don't worry, Bella, we have it all planned," he said pleasantly. "When you arrive in Woodinville—"

"Woodinville? I thought we were going to Seattle. That's way past Seattle," I said.

"We own a house there, where you'll be able to freshen up before going to the cathedral."

"Seattle is almost an hour away from Woodinville, and it will take four hours to get there from Forks."

Carlisle seemed to be waiting for something. I almost asked, but he answered the question. "I'm sorry, are you done? I thought we were talking to a vampire hunter, not a whiny child." If it didn't sound like he was mocking me, I might've shot him. He continued with a soft smile. "Again, don't worry, Bella. We thought of everything before you hit the cathedral door. After that, it's up to you, Jasper, and Edward. Yet, I believe someone on your side also called for back up for you."

I would've asked, but we were losing time. It would take about four hours and some change to get to Woodinville; we had to leave immediately.

I sighed. "Fine. When are we doing this thing?"

"Now, if you want," Jasper said. "I think we should go somewhere a little more private—"

"Absolutely not," Sam barked.

"No, no, you don't understand. A bite can be very . . . intimate between vampire and human. I thought Bella would like the privacy, just in case."

My heart leapt into my throat. "In case of what?" In case he killed me?

That almost flirtatious look came back to his face, and I wondered how Alice felt. Wasn't she worried about Jasper's attitude? Oh, of course not. He was just after the red stuff flowing inside of me. Nothing personal. Ugh.

"Fine! Whatever we're doing, let's do it quick," I complained. "We're burning nighttime."

"The upstairs bedroom?" Jasper suggested. I opened my mouth, but he cut me off. "It's not what you think. I only ask because it has a door, and I don't want you to hit your head."

I almost asked what he meant by that, but he was already moving toward the stairs, Edward following him. They really expected me to join them? I looked at Sam; he had no advice. We were officially in the dark.

"I'm not entirely comfortable with this," I sighed, "so I want you on the door. And you"—I pointed at Carlisle—"you can be there too. Sam won't know when Jasper's taken too much, and I trust you to control your fledglings."

"Alright, that's fair. Sam and I will be standing right outside the door," Carlisle replied.

Before I journeyed up the stairs, I heard Alice behind me, "He won't hurt you, Bella." Yeah, I wasn't going to believe that.

The walk down the hallway made me feel like I was on death row. My nerves were acting up again, and by the time I reached the door, I was a jittery mess. Fuck, I couldn't do this. I didn't even ask what would happen when he bit me. Would it hurt? Would we really be Master and Renfield? _Shit, shit, fucking shit!_

I stepped inside the room once Carlisle and Sam took positions on opposite sides of the door. Jasper stood at the foot of the bed with a calm smile, and just by looking at him my nerves dissipated. I almost smiled at him, but then the door slammed behind me. I jumped and wheeled around to find Edward leaning on the door like Embry had earlier.

"Why are you even here?" I asked, but it didn't have the anger I wanted behind it. There was a tight ball of dread resting inside me, but I think Jasper was keeping the worst of it at bay.

"His odd infatuation with you will make sure that I don't accidentally kill you," Jasper answered, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. What did he expect to happen? Would it be messy?

"You know, that isn't helping my nerves."

"I know, and I'm very sorry. I want it to be comfortable for you, but with your vigilance against vampires, I don't know how to do that besides using the full extent of my power."

"And what would that mean?"

He grinned. "You wouldn't feel any pain."

"So it will hurt. Figures. I have a few questions for you before you bite me." He made an elegant motion, and I guess that meant continue. "Where are you biting me?"

"The neck is a very personal place, and the scent is much more concentrated there. The wrist will do just fine."

"Will I be bound to you afterward?"

"No."

"Are you going to turn me?" I asked.

"No. It's a simple bite, Bella," he answered. "I just need enough blood to smell like you and cover up the gold."

"This is the only time you're biting me, right? You won't have to do it again while we're down there?"

"That's right. Did I answer all your questions?"

I swallowed hard and nodded.

"Then come sit on the bed," he said, trying hard to hide the excitement in his voice.

I hesitated, looking behind me where Edward was holding up the wall. He looked almost as eager as Jasper. Suddenly I felt like I was in a lions den, and I wanted out.

"We won't hurt you, Bella," Jasper said, drawing my attention back to him. "This is our first test as partners. You have to trust me."

He was right. I hated it, but he was right. I felt like a robot as I stiffly approached the bed. My legs weren't working properly, and I knew it was just my instincts. I wasn't supposed to get near vampires; I had to kill them. I took a deep breath, expelling it slowly, as I sat on the bed. I had to keep reminding myself I already made up my mind.

Jasper knelt in front of me, trying to be nonthreatening, but I saw the eager spark in his eyes. I would have been worried, but thanks to Jasper's power, he kept me calm. What I was even afraid of? It would probably feel like a bee sting. One sip and then it's over.

He touched my hand, and I cringed, pulling away from him. Okay, so I wasn't all _that_ calm. "Please, Bella," he said softly, "I'm as uncomfortable as you are. We are both turning our backs to everything we ever believed. I'll do this quickly, for both our sakes."

I tentatively held out my shaking right hand; I never compromised my left hand, the shooting hand. His cold fingers enveloped mine, drawing my wrist toward his mouth. He took a deep breath, and that caused my nerves to spike again.

"Don't tense," he whispered against my pounding pulse. "It makes it hurt worse. I'll help you through some of the pain. Are you ready?"

I closed my eyes and nodded. My breath came out on a long sigh as his teeth broke through my skin. My eyes popped opened with the sensation, and my mouth gaped to scream, but all that came out was a soft moan. The reaction scared me, until the feeling increased and washed conscious thoughts away. It felt like a string connected him and things lower in my body, and with every pull from his mouth, that string vibrated, and I gave a little gasp with each one.

That string thickened, turned into something more. Phantom hands touched me everywhere. I was a throbbing ball of sensation.

My back arched sharply when one of those hands passed over my breasts. My body couldn't stay still. I fell back on the bed, my torso twisting. I feared the pressure building inside. Oh God, it was too much. My free hand clawed at my hair, my thigh, his hair, even the blanket beneath me. I felt the blood rushing through my veins, willing to go to his eager mouth. Every gasp, grunt, and moan scared me, yet it never lasted. The fear was quickly replaced by a wave of lust, which caused me to cry out. My body was doing a wild dance on the bed, and when he took one last pull, I screamed as the pressure lashed out. I felt like I was flying for a few minutes or maybe it was hours, until I was brought back to earth, gasping, by someone licking my wrist.

I tried to slow my breathing as I peeled my eyes open. What just happened? What did he do to me? If that was what a vampire's bite felt like every time . . . no way. I wasn't even finishing that thought.

I propped myself up on one elbow to find Jasper's tongue tracing over the wound; it was still open, still bleeding. Didn't I hear from someone that vamps have anticoagulant in their saliva or venom, or whatever it is? I had to get pressure on my wrist, but I was too tired. I tugged on my arm, trying to get Jasper to let me go.

He released me without a fight and stood up in a flash. His new red eyes were wide, glancing around the room as if he had never seen it before. I slowed my pulse, hoping I wouldn't bleed to death, and glanced down at my wrist. The wound was wide and gushing. I hoped there wouldn't be a scar.

Jasper's abrupt laugh made me jump. He stared at his hands, flexing them. "I forgot what it feels like to wield this much power."

Edward was at his side, but Jasper held up his hand. "I'm fine. Give me a minute; I'm afraid I'll break something."

Edward came to the bed, a thousand questions on his face, and I noticed something was different with his eyes. They seemed darker. "Bella, are you okay?" he asked. His voice shook a little. Did he want to munch on me too?

My heart finally stopped trying to leap out of my chest, my breathing soft and even. Yeah, I think I'd be all right. I kept my eyes on my wrist. Was it just me, or did the wound look smaller than before? I sat up and wiped away the small amount of blood. The skin was red from the pressure of Jasper's lips, and I watched with wide eyes as it slowly healed. It looked like the skin was knitting itself together.

"Bella?" Edward repeated, and his voice was stronger now.

I cleared my throat. I needed a drink of water; it felt dry and raw. "What happened?" I rasped.

"Jasper used his power so you wouldn't feel the pain," he answered. "I don't believe the orgasm was necessary, but he got carried away. Was it that good?" That last bit wasn't directed at me.

Carlisle and Sam were in the room now, and I didn't remember hearing the door open. How much did Jasper take?

Jasper shuddered and answered Edward's question. "You felt it. It was amazing. There's no doubt in my mind about winning over Aro; even if I have to fight for my spot, I'll win. This rush is incredible."

Sam helped me off the bed, but I couldn't stand on my own feet. I wobbled and clung to his arm, the room spinning slightly. He held me upright. "Are you okay?"

"A little shaky," I whispered weakly. "He might've over done it. I can't walk."

Without warning, Sam swept me up in his arms. I gave a little scream as the room picked up speed and resisted the urge to punch him. "We'll be downstairs," he told the vamps.

"A glass of orange juice will do her good," Carlisle replied. "The wound will close shortly, just keep pressure on it."

I pressed my left hand over the cut. It wasn't even sore. Sam carried me downstairs to the kitchen and set me carefully in one of the chairs. I glanced up to find the room empty. Where the hell was Jake? Did Sam make him go outside in the backyard, or was he in the basement? And what happened to Jared and Paul? They basically disappeared. I was starting to worry. Speaking of the basement, the door opened, and for a second I thought it might've been our missing men, but it was only Embry. His arms were full of magazine clips. He looked up from his treasure and nearly dropped them down the stairs when he spotted me.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" he asked. "You look a little pale, but there are definite signs of a proper fucking."

Sam set a tall glass of cold orange juice beside my elbow, and I reached for it with greedy, shaking hands. I guzzled down half the glass before I had to breathe.

"She went through with it," was Sam's curt reply.

Embry gave a low whistle. "You've got more guts than I do, girlie. How was it?"

I shook my head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Did it hurt?"

"No." My face blazed, and I took another gulp of juice. Just thinking about it was making me feel weird. Little tingly shockwaves were sparking deep in my belly, and I couldn't control the shudder that raced up my spine.

Embry grinned. "Well let's see the battle scar."

I held up my arm to show him the fading wound, but there wasn't much left to it. It was just an angry pink line.

"There's nothing exciting about that at all. I thought it would be a huge, bloody gash. You should get a refund." Sam's glare made Embry quickly change topics. He held up the magazines. "Oh, picked these up for you. You're lucky we're heavily armed; otherwise I'm not sure I would have found the right bullets. We don't have much of NATO-type incendiary, but it should be enough for your FAMAS. Still, use them sparingly. And here's your 12-gauge. I'd suggest loading them into the Striker now, that way you're good to go."

"Wonderful thinking," Carlisle's soft voice came from behind him. I looked up to find he had either soundlessly entered the kitchen, or I was just that out of it. "It's good to always think of the possible future and take the defensive. When you have a mighty shield, it doesn't matter how strong you are; you can stand against the toughest enemies." He pulled out the chair closest to me, turned it so we faced each other, and sat down. "How are you doing? May I see your arm?"

I gave it to him without a fight. I knew what happened if I fought him; he would embarrass me again. So I quietly nursed my juice as his chilly fingers turned my arm this way and that. I guessed he was looking for a scar, but I didn't see anything.

"It won't scar, but the wound may stay as a pink line for a little while. Any discomfort?"

I shook my head.

"Are you light-headed, woozy?"

"I feel fine now, tha—t's it, no more questions. I'm fine." I did not just nearly thank a vampire, did I? No, it was just a slip. I was tired, that's all.

Carlisle smirked. He knew what I'd been about to say. I really, really hated vampire hearing. "I can see that. Well then, if you are feeling more yourself, I think I hear the road calling your name."

"I agree. Is there anything else I need to know before I dive in?"

"He mentioned something about Aro having a power earlier," Embry said.

"Ah, that I did," Carlisle sighed. "I apologize for not mentioning it sooner; however, I think his power is the last of your worries. You see, Aro has an ability much like Edward's. He can read minds, but not from a distance, only through touch. Since you thwart Edward's ability, I believe Aro will meet the same wall. Just remember, there are many vampires with many different abilities; you will have to rely on your own discretion to decide who is talented and who is not."

Gee, that was helpful. I rolled my eyes and stood, my legs finally sturdy underneath me, and gathered the ammunition scattered on the table. I'd have to find that ammo bag Embry gave me in Sacramento; it held my incendiary rounds and a few extra knives. I'd need everything I could get my hands on.

As if he read my mind, Embry produced a small duffel bag from the floor with a grin. I peeked inside before tossing in the ammo; it was mine, the Striker cleaning kit sat on top of everything. How he found it, I wouldn't ask. I slung the bag over my shoulder and continued into the living room. Jasper, Edward, and Alice waited by the door. Was she coming with us? Maybe she was waiting for Carlisle; they wouldn't stay here. But Carlisle's wife—what was her name?—stayed seated on the couch.

"Are we ready?" Alice asked with a twinkle in her mischievous eyes.

"You're coming too?" I groaned.

"Only for the ride to Woodinville. I have to make you look presentable to the ancients."

I turned to Carlisle. "Are you all going back to Portland, or will you be close if we need you?"

"I already talked to your leader about that, and it seems like I'll be staying here for now," he replied. "It will be easy for my family to find a few of the tunnels in the city, to help the Marines."

"At this point, I guess any help is better than none." I turned to Sam and gave a watery smile. "Last chance. Wanna talk me out of it?"

"Nah, I've come to terms with the fact that I can't talk you out of anything. So good luck down there; don't get killed." That was an order.

"Or end up in the hospital," I added.

"Yeah, or that." He stepped closer and gave me a quick, tight hug. "Better get moving before Jacob realizes you're gone. He'll stop the car with his bare hands."

"Tell everyone I said good bye. And please, _please,_ make Angela train with her guns. If you all have to bail me out, she should at least know how to shoot down the sight, not from the hip."

That made Embry laugh. "Don't worry; we'll set up a make-shift range around here somewhere. My guys get antsy if they don't have something to shoot. Next time you see her, Angela will be a completely different person."

"Cool. Then I guess . . . I'm on my way to Seattle. Try not to kill each other while I'm gone."

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" Embry saluted.

I rolled my eyes and went to the closet near the door. I think I recall Mrs. Cheney saying she stuffed a coat for each of us in here, and sure enough, there was a military-style blue coat hanging up with my name pinned to it. I pulled off the tag, set the bag on the floor before I slipped into the coat, and settled it around me. Huh, despite it looking tight, it hid the guns well. It was roomy and comfortable, and most importantly, warm. Mrs. Cheney sure knew what she was doing.

Jasper opened the door, and the four of us filed outside into the freezing night. Rosalie jumped up with an open mouth, ready to say something, but Edward cut her off. We didn't have the time for another explanation or apology. It was half past two; the drive to Woodinville would take up most of the night.

I didn't see it thanks to the fight that took place earlier, but parked in the street was a sleek black car; it was Carlisle's Mercedes. It looked ready to break a few speeding laws. No one argued about seating; Edward drove, Jasper got shotgun, and Alice and I crawled into the backseat. With the night, the car's tinted windows made everything ten times darker. The only light in the car was when Edward started the purring engine and the dash lights illuminated his face.

"Heater," Alice murmured.

She must've noticed my shivering. I wouldn't have said anything, but I guess I could depend on Alice to look out for me. She did seem a little more friendly compared to the others. Edward flicked a few buttons and knobs before putting the car in gear. I turned in the seat as far as the seatbelt would let me. I had a feeling I wouldn't see anything normal for a long time, and I wanted to remember the comfy sofa, the bright kitchen, but instead I saw something that shook my resolve.

The windows made it hard to see, but as we drove off, I was sure it was Jacob who was standing in the bright doorway, thinking he'd never see me again.


	14. Chapter 14

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this, it's just for fun.**

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_I am SO sorry this is late! It's been a bit of a problematic week for both me and my beta.  
_

_Before we begin, I want to inform everyone that **CV will NOT update this week!**_  
_I'm taking a week off to tidy up my notes and outline the next few chapters, so hopefully when I update again, it'll be a strong chapter and won't confuse everyone._

_Thank you so much to my lovely beta, GreatChemistry!! Even with the problems, she only gave me the best. I love you oh so much for the work you do (:_

_And a quick note: In case you haven't noticed already, this mythology doesn't exactly follow the world SM set up.  
I hope you won't get too confused..._

_Once again, I'm sorry for posting so late, but I hope everyone enjoys! Please don't forget to review! We're coming to the end, and I want to make sure everyone is on the same page, or if someone is wondering about a certain plot point.  
(And guilt me for not updating on schedule.)_

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_

I must've fallen asleep sometime during the ride. I knew I shouldn't sleep in a car full of vampires, but I was running low on energy. Jasper had taken way more blood than I realized. I needed the sleep, and the vamps must've thought so too. They only bothered me once. I almost complained when Alice shook me awake, but then I realized it was for a good reason. I had to eat to restore my strength. Edward had pulled into some fast food joint's drive-thru; I gave a mumbled order, ate, and quickly went back to sleep. I had to admit, the warmth in the car was peaceful. The next time I woke up, I was leaning against Alice, who had an arm around my shoulder.

I sat upright, Alice's arm easily slipping away, and glanced at the clock before turning my attention to the window. Streetlights whirred by, houses silent in the dark night surrounded by trees. Of course, always trees. Nothing that would tell me where we were. I rubbed my eyes furiously, trying to wake myself up.

"Where are we?" I grumbled.

"We're passing through Edmonds now," Alice answered. "We're about thirty minutes away. You can go back to sleep."

I shook my head. "No, I'll stay awake." It wasn't that I didn't trust them; I mean, I still didn't completely trust them, but they had yet to hurt me.

My neck hurt like something fierce, and my nerves made it impossible to fall back asleep. Before I woke up, I'd had some kind of freaky dream. I knew it scared me, but I couldn't remember why, or what it was about, just that it was scary. Even with the heater and my thick coat, I was shivering. It was probably another anxiety dream. Yeah, like I needed more of those. It was bad enough I was plagued with doubt.

What if this plan didn't work? What if it only got me killed? Sure, I'd said I didn't care if I died, but I'm only human! Of course I'd be scared of that possibility. I was only eighteen. I had a lot to live for, if I could ever get my life back. No, I _would_ get my life back. I had to kill Aro. Not just to save Charlie, or to return my life to normal, but for everyone else too. I had to save everyone who was stuck in this nightmare. Somewhere at the back of mind, I knew it was a cliché. That I felt the whole world depended on me was a huge exaggeration, but I didn't care. This was important.

I spent the rest of the ride imagining my first encounter with Aro as I watched the scenery flash by. I could see him being a wizened old man hiding behind a bunch of bulky bodyguards. Yeah, an easy kill. Perfect. Then again, thinking about it, maybe I should've asked what Aro was like before we left. Alice described him as insane, greedy. Maybe a physical description would have helped my final decision.

A hand touched my shoulder, and I jumped, pulling away from the light tap. I turned to find Alice's surprised face illuminated by the Mercedes' overhead lights. I didn't even realize the car had stopped. If I was this jumpy around three vamps, what would I be like when I was in the heart of the nest?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," said Alice, "but you can get out now. We're here."

I popped the door open with a sigh. The cold air quickly made its way inside, killing off the warmth that had packed the car. I was about to tell her she didn't scare me, just kind of spooked me, but then I caught sight of the house.

It seemed like a modern home, but knowing the Cullen family, there was more to it. It was extravagant, to say the least. With a three-car garage and giant windows everywhere, yeah, it was definitely different compared to Forks. Edward and Jasper had already disappeared inside, lights flaring to life behind the windows, so I followed Alice up the steps with my bag.

I stood in the foyer, gaping and staring like an idiot. It was even bigger than their Portland home, but that was probably because the home was further in the woods here. In Portland, they had neighbors. Alice beckoned me into the house with a friendly smile, after telling me to kick off my shoes. I could see why after rounding the corner; the carpet was a bright, spotless white. I followed her with the promise of a quick tour of the downstairs.

Alice told me to set my bag in the living room, but I vehemently refused. My weaponry wasn't leaving my sight if I could help it. I was officially on my own now; I didn't have Sam to watch my back, or Jake to make sure I was constantly defended from everything except his over-protectiveness. She rolled her eyes before showing me around.

The house was decorated almost exactly like the one in Portland, except this one had more space to fill. Art hung on the white walls, windows were literally everywhere, and there was a sparkling white Baldwin grand piano in its own room. As I was shown around, I couldn't help but notice how clean everything was. If they moved so often, why would they bother to keep so many houses, and why was this one spotless?

When we came to the steps leading to the second floor, Alice pulled me along. The white hallway seemed to go on forever, but I wasn't allowed to enjoy the sight of classic paintings and charred pages of literature framed on the walls. Alice continued to drag me down the hall and only let go of me when we entered the last room on the right. Apparently, from the looks of it, it was the master bedroom. She pushed me through a different door on the opposite wall, flicking on the lights behind me. I was standing in an immaculate bathroom, complete with marble countertops and a Jacuzzi on a raised dais. Gee, why was I not surprised?

"Help yourself to whatever you want, just make sure you get extra clean, and trust me, shave your legs," Alice said. She pointed to a cabinet under one of the sinks. "You can find everything you need in there. I'll have clothes for you when you're done."

She shut the door and I was alone in the huge room. I wasted no time. I turned on the water to let it warm up then set the bag near the sink and searched the drawer Alice indicated. I found exactly what she promised. Everything I'd need. A disposable razor, girlie-smelling shaving cream, deodorant, and every thing strawberry. Strawberry shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Why always strawberry? Was it Alice's favorite scent? Maybe she thought I'd like it.

This whole situation was uncomfortable to begin with, but now I had to give up my guns. I couldn't take them into the shower with me, but I didn't want to leave them lying where the Cullen's could steal them. I checked the door; it had a lock. Sure, it wouldn't do much, but if I was lucky, they would respect the tiny lock. I stood in the white room, bargaining with my conscious. I'd hang up the big guns and sword, but keep my pistol near the shower. The toilet was close enough that I could set it there within reach and it wouldn't get wet.

With a sigh, I stripped, hanging my rig carefully on the hooks in the door and stepped into the warm shower, closing the frosted glass door. My stiff muscles melted under the onslaught, and my next sigh was much more pleasurable. I stared at the pink line on my wrist, the temporary mark of Jasper's bite, and knew I couldn't enjoy the shower very long; we didn't have time.

I quickly shaved, praying I wouldn't nick myself, and showered, feeling like a completely different person by the end. When was the last time I shaved my legs? Being chased by vampires, I never had time, or much of a reason. It almost scared me to wonder why Alice insisted I shave. It had bad news written all over it, but I wouldn't be intimidated. I had to relax, slip back behind the wall I'd had up before this whole mess started.

It all started with Seth's death. It left a huge crack in my hard exterior, and having a vampire care for me made that crack larger. Charlie was the one who made me see the trembling wall. He'd been worried about me, and I had a feeling he knew I was fighting my emotions. Every bad thought I'd had, I ignored it and hid behind the wall. I never even dealt with Seth's or Tyler's death. I pushed it away and promised revenge for them; that wasn't my way of dealing with grief, I kept ignoring it on purpose. Then Charlie was captured, and all those terrible things I hid from—even the smallest thought—tore down the wall. Now that I thought about it, I shouldn't have been so surprised I'd lashed out at Eric, or even Jake. I had it coming.

But I was okay now. That wall was slowly going back in place. I couldn't look mentally unstable in front of the creator of the vampiric race, now could I? I had to be a cold, unfeeling killing machine . . . even if my skin crawled with the thought of being surrounded by dead bodies.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the open closet. I pulled it tight around me and carried my pistol as I checked the room. The door was still locked. That was a good sign. The Striker and FAMAS still hung on the door while my clothes were scattered on the floor where I left them. Everything was just as I'd left it, but that also meant no new clothes had been delivered.

I waited to hear a knock on the door, but there was only the sound of distant piano keys.

"Alice?" I called, knowing she would hear me wherever she was in the house. No answer. I opened the door, poking my head into the room. "Alice?"

"Coming!" her voice answered from the hallway. She entered the room with a large dark bag in her hands; it looked like it could hold a body. "Oh good, you're done. That was a lot faster than I thought it would take. Hang on just a sec." She set the bag on the bed and went to the bureau, pulling something from a drawer before coming to the bathroom door. She held out a strapless bra and panty set. "Put these on, and wrap the towel around your hair. You're dripping."

I reached an arm through the crack to grab the underwear, and couldn't help asking, "Why is it strapless?"

Alice gave me an innocent look with her big, golden eyes. "You don't trust me?"

I glared at her, and she rolled her eyes. Yeah, she should've seen that one coming.

"Honestly, Bella, it won't bite you. Look, its frontsies—fun!" She gave me a teasing smile then shoved my head back so she could close the door, effectively ignoring my question. "Now get dressed and get out here."

"I'd get dressed if you actually gave me clothes to wear," I muttered. I received no answer, so I guess she was pretending not to hear me.

I held the bra at arms length. It was black, simple, and for that I could overlook it being strapless. The matching panties weren't extreme, either. I tore the tags off after checking the sizes. They should fit perfectly, but why would I expect anything else? So far I hated her power, just because it freaked me out. I slipped into the panties but struggled with the bra. How the hell did front snapped bras work? Was this what a guy felt like when faced with a bra? After much struggling and grunting, I finally had it snapped and situated. I looked up to the mirror to see how it looked and balked at what I saw. Cleavage. I had cleavage! What was Alice planning?

I wrapped the towel back around my body before opening the door. Alice sat at the foot of the bed, waiting with a smile.

"Bella, Bella, Bella." She shook her head in time with my name. "We're both girls here. It's not like I haven't seen it before. Put the towel around your hair or else you'll ruin your outfit."

"What exactly are you trying to make me wear?" I asked.

"I'll show you after you wrap your hair."

"I'm not comfortable—"

"So you have bigger boobs than I do. Who cares? You should embrace them; I'd kill for your C's. I just don't want your damp hair ruining the material. It's silk, and everyone knows that water absolutely ruins silk. I haven't decided on what to do with your hair yet, so I don't want it dried. But you can get dressed now, so it's out of the way."

I was being stupid, I knew that. We didn't have time to argue, but I felt more vulnerable half-naked. I sighed and obediently wrapped my hair in the towel, crossing my arms over my chest when I finished. Alice bounded off the bed, satisfied that I did as she asked.

"I hope you don't mind, but I took a few liberties," she said. "I ordered some clothes for you online and had them shipped here. You should have enough outfits while you're down there."

"You bought me clothes?" I asked uncomfortably.

She shuffled her feet and tugged at the ends of her spiky black hair, almost like she was embarrassed. "I know, I know. It's weird. I don't usually do stuff like this, but you didn't complain about the clothes in Portland. I thought you wouldn't mind."

I didn't like her spending money on me or guessing I'd be okay with her dressing me. Then again, I wasn't convinced it was a guess.

"I do mind," I mumbled.

"Bella, you're half-naked in a house full of vampires, smelling particularly delicious, might I add. Let's not forget that we have less than an hour before the sun comes up. There's no time for pouting, or arguments." She lost the nerves and flashed a grin, rubbing her hands together as she went to the bag. "Would you like to see what you're wearing this fine, chilly morning?"

I hugged myself tighter. "Just give me a T-shirt and jeans."

She scoffed, unzipping the bag. "You have a great body, Bella. You can hide in your boy clothes later. So tell me, how gorgeous is this?"

She pulled out a sheet of fabric and turned, holding it up so I could get a good look at it. My eyes went wide. It was a dress! Not just any dress, but a short, sleeveless dress. My neck and shoulders would be exposed, and it would probably barely reach my knees. The only thing I thought was gorgeous about it was the deep bluish-green color. I was not a dress-type of girl. The last time I wore a one was when Renee still dressed me. Translation: when I was a kid.

"No way!" I yelled. "You are not getting me into that thing."

It wasn't gaudy; in fact, it was very simple and kind of elegant-looking. I just didn't want to wear it to meet a bunch of evil vamps. Actually, that wasn't entirely true. I just didn't want to wear it in Seattle's cold. Alice seemed to forget that November in Washington meant freezing cold.

"Please, Bella!" Alice whined. "This is demure yet sexy, and it draws attention to your neck."

"I'll freeze in that thing! I want a turtleneck," I said with a glare.

"Sorry, but no turtleneck sweaters here," she replied, not at all apologetic. "What's wrong with the dress?"

"Besides the obvious? If I wore that thing, I'd look like food! I'm not wearing it."

"You're supposed to look like food. You're going as Jasper's Renfield; they are another way for a vampire to feed, you know. You want them to underestimate you. What better says 'harmless' than a girl in a short dress?" I opened my mouth for a snappy reply, but she quickly cut me off with a dangerous look. "You are going to meet the ancients; you have to be presentable, not dressed like what they'd call a street rat. It won't kill you to wear a dress for two hours. It's common courtesy to show up in front of the ancients in nice clothes. It's kind of like meeting a king. You don't dress like a slob. Besides, they'll be dressed in the finest clothes of their time."

_What's that, a loincloth?_ I wanted to make the stupid joke, but I wasn't that comfortable, and we weren't friends. I'd save it for when I saw Jessica. It would be the perfect way to close the awkward gap between us.

"The clock is ticking," Alice reminded me.

Fine, I'd play their game. I sighed and hung my head. "How long do I have to wear it?"

"At least two hours, but it will be warm in the tunnels. I know, doesn't seem right since their so deep underground, but I guess they put in a heating system for the humans. Oh, but there's a catch."

I threw my arms up. "There's _always_ a catch with vampires!" I said, exasperated.

She smiled. "So you saw this coming, good. While you might be Jasper's protection, the guards won't let you near Aro with the firepower you carry. You'll have to store the shotgun, sword, and assault rifle in your bag; they'll fit."

"Deal's off. I'm not going anywhere near them without a gun."

"But I have good news. Sheesh, let me finish." She fished something else out of the bag and tossed it my way. I caught it and held up the straps; I recognized it immediately as a thigh holster. "I spoke to Embry while you were busy with Jasper. He said this would perfectly conceal your pistol, a magazine, and two knives under the dress. With the way the material will flare around your knees, I agreed."

"Why do I have to hide my pistol?" I asked. I didn't argue about putting it on, though. Alice must've told him Embry I'd be in a dress, because it had the waist strap already attached. I immediately slid the band up my right leg, but didn't holster my gun, and buckled the waist strap around me like a belt.

"Because modern weaponry makes the guards a little uncomfortable," Alice said, "and as Jasper's Renfield, you shouldn't technically need a gun."

"You know, I'm starting to think maybe I should have been more informed about Renfield's before I agreed to this." I knew that Renfields were a vampire's attack dog and go-to human, but the way Alice spoke about it, it made me think there was more to it. I was pretty well educated about vampires, but they hid a lot of information about themselves, sometimes even putting out false myths to make them seem weaker to us humans.

She shrugged. "It's nothing important, really. Back in the day, when the church was hunting evil, vampires needed a way to defend themselves. They found a way to bind humans to them for protection. It never lasted very long. The mentality of the Renfields was worn down quickly, and it made the church able to find them easier.

"After years of Renfields being burned at the stake for witchcraft, it was hard for a vampire to hold onto a human. Humans heard stories, they knew what would happen if they were caught, and they would kill themselves after the vampire caught them. One vampire started to make deals with humans. If they would protect him, he promised them eternal life. He gave them power, and eventually turned them when they pleased him. Renfields are just another way to quickly build a stable powerbase. So yeah, that's where the whole Renfield thing comes from."

I had no idea. I thought Renfield's were kept for appearances—the more Renfield's you had, the stronger you were, or more important in their society—but I guess they actually helped their master besides running errands on sunny days. Wait, wait, what was that? "What do you mean by power?" I asked quietly.

"There are rumors that when a vampire bites a human, if they give the human their blood, it will give the human their master's ability, if he has one," she explained. "Of course, the human will be stronger, faster—kind of like a real vampire, except without heightened senses or immortality."

"I thought that's how vampires were made; an exchange of blood."

"It's something like that. How about you get dressed?" She held the dress out toward me. "We'll continue this discussion over your hair."

I took the dress from her hands without argument and unzipped it, stepping into the silky fabric. I still didn't completely understand why I had to look nice. I wanted to know more about how vampires were made and the humans bound to them, but Alice firmly refused to continue until I was dressed. I had to agree. I was starting to get cold.

I pulled the dress up, and Alice zipped me in. She turned me toward the mirror attached to the large armoire. I stared for a minute, but I could never tell what women looked for when they examined themselves in the mirror. I watched Renee do it all the time; she would turn to one side, then the other, tilting her head and batting her eyes. Living with Charlie, there was nothing like that. It was more like wearing whatever was clean and comfortable. But I had to applaud Alice; she got me in a dress. Renee would flip if she ever found out.

"It looks . . . good," I said, feeling a little awkward.

"Good?" Alice asked with wide eyes. "You look great! And I think I decided what to do with your hair. Up, definitely up. Keep the neck bare. You don't accessorize anyway, right?"

"Only with guns."

"Of course. Must be nice to be that simple," she said flippantly.

I thought about it, and she was right. I answered with a small smile. "Yeah, it's really nice." But then again, she was talking about accessorizing with weapons.

"Alright, come with me, and I'll fix your hair."

"And tell me more about vampires," I added, grabbing my pistol. I still didn't want to put it in the holster yet. Clinging to the familiar feel of it was the only thing that was keeping me sane.

"If you really want to know," she replied uneasily.

I nodded and followed her into the bathroom. Alice pulled out a stool from under the counter and had me sit down while she set up the countertop. She produced a hairdryer and bottles from the deep drawers while I cradled my pistol in my lap. She tugged the towel from around my head, catching the wet strands before they could touch the silk dress.

"So what else do you want to know?" she asked as she pulled her slim fingers through my hair. "I thought you knew pretty much everything about vampires."

"I thought so too, but I never knew what kind of role I'm playing. I thought Renfields were for show and running errands, not powering their master's. What about bloodwhores? Are they really just blood bags and fuck buddies to vampires?"

Alice frowned and picked up a brush, running the soft bristles over my tangled hair. "I wouldn't say 'fuck buddies.' I've never heard of a vampire successfully make love to a human, but I guess it's possible."

"I know it's possible. My friend lost her virginity to a vampire instead of her childhood sweetheart." I still remember the day Jess told me, a huge smile on her face. That was the day our friendship was cut; I only hung out with her because it made Charlie happy. It was a way to get information.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said softly. "The vampires surrounding Seattle are pigs. Aro gives them too much slack where he should tighten the reigns. I'll be glad when they're gone."

"Is your master in this mix?"

Her hand stilled, and she turned her gaze to my hair so I couldn't see her eyes in the reflection. She was quiet for a long moment, and then finally shook her head, continuing her brushing. "No, or at least I don't think so," she answered. "I don't know who made me, but maybe its better this way. I see Carlisle as my creator and father; he's my counselor and guidance. That's what really matters to me. I remember the first day I met him. He was shocked that I just appeared in his life, but he still welcomed me with a warm smile and a hug. He was like no one I'd ever met. He's a great man, Bella. And you know he's never had human blood, and he's definitely not in with the criminals who ruled your life."

"I'm starting to see that, but I still don't like it."

"What, that you might become friends with a vampire?" Alice laughed. "That's hilarious! You're friends with a pack of wolves! What are a few vampires compared to that?"

Thanks to the bra, I had to cross my arms under my chest, but it didn't stop my pouting. I wanted to tell her, _Werewolves never killed my friends and took over my life, _but I kept my mouth closed. She was only making a joke.

So what if I was uncomfortable around vampires? It was to be expected. But the Cullen's were really putting their necks on the line for me. And for what? Just to get rid of the creator of the race? Carlisle knew what kind of massacre that would cause; I had a feeling he wouldn't want something like that on his conscious. It was Vampire Mythology 101: kill the foundation of the bloodline, the rest of them go with it. He had assured me over the phone he wouldn't be affected by it, but there were hundreds of newborns and elders alike that could die.

I quickly changed subjects, unwilling to answer Alice's question. "Tell me how vampires are created. It's through blood, right?"

"Yep, and from what Carlisle has described to me, it doesn't sound all that fun." She grimaced and continued, "I always thought it took a single bite, but he said the disease lives in our blood, not our saliva. So when the vampire bites a human, and when the human is almost completely drained, the vampire has the human drink their blood. It symbolizes the total control the vampire will have; the human can't live without their blood. Understand?"

"Okay, say a vampire doesn't bite a human, but still makes the human drink his blood. What would happen?"

"Good question, although I think it would still have the same effect." She set the brush aside and pushed my hair forward, ordering me to hold onto it while she grabbed a bottle from the counter. "Maybe the virus would travel quicker through the bloodstream, but I think it would hurt worse."

I looked up at her. "It hurts?"

She shrugged and took control my hair again, rubbing some kind of product through it. "I don't remember myself, but I saw a few turnings in my lifetime," she said. "The human body dies while the virus takes control. Who knows how it actually works, though. Someday I'd like to figure it out. What keeps us alive? It's a question that's plagued Carlisle since the day he was turned."

Alice picked up the hairdryer, drowning out our conversation. She mussed my hair with her free hand, working diligently to dry it, before bringing in the brush to smooth it straight. I patiently sat on the stool and let her work; she really seemed to know what she was doing. With all the free time on her hands, I wondered if she ever attended beauty school. I already knew she could bake, so what was a bit of hair and makeup to her small hands?

When my hair was dry, Alice picked up a different bottle, squirting some of the product in her hand before rubbing it through my hair. I stayed passive under her hands. Whatever she wanted to do was fine with me, as long as I got out of here soon. I had vampires to kill.

I watched as Alice produced four sticks from a drawer—two long and two short—and proceed to twist my hair. They resembled chopsticks. What would Alice do with them? She hummed a tune to match the piano downstairs as she worked. It had picked up volume since I first heard it coming out of the shower.

"Who plays?" I asked.

"Edward," answered Alice with a smile, pinning a stick to the left side of my head, keeping the hair in place. "He's had lessons ever since he was human. I think his mom pressured him into it, but he insists he wanted to learn. Isn't he amazing?"

I listened to the song wafting through the open doors. It was a sweet melody, yet he was playing it a little too harsh, almost like he wanted us to hear, but the song wasn't meant to be played so loud. I shrugged. "It's not bad. How long has he been playing?"

She giggled. "It's not my place to tell you his age, silly Bella. He's played like this long before you were born, and every day he practices to improve his art. It's really something. Esme loves to listen to Edward play; she always says she could sit and watch him forever."

"Esme, that's Carlisle's wife?" I asked. Esme and I had never really spoken before. There was one time while I was staying with them that we had a short conversation, but otherwise she was quiet.

"The one and only for eternity!" she giggled. She pinned the second long stick on the opposite side of my head. The shorter sticks were just for decoration. After she stuck them in, she set a hand mirror in front of my face and made me turn around see what she had done. I thought I'd have some complicated chignon, but Alice went for simple once again. There was a neat bun on both sides of my head, the sticks holding them firmly together.

I turned back around and stared at myself in the mirror, amazed with what I saw. I looked . . . "Pretty," I murmured.

"You have a natural beauty to you, and that's why you're not getting much makeup," Alice replied, oh so happy I was okay with her handiwork.

I shook my head, surprised my hair stayed in place. "That's where I draw the line. I am not wearing makeup. It would run and make a mess all over my face."

Alice stepped around me and opened another drawer, pulling out a small clear tube. "Lip gloss?" she asked, clearly testing the waters.

"Gloss is fine," I relented.

A smile on her elfin face, she held up another tube. "Mascara?"

"No. Lip gloss."

"Eye shadow?"

"Lip gloss, Alice."

I stopped her before she could pull anything else out. "No time for arguments, remember? We've been here way too long; we'll never make it before the sun starts shining."

Alice pouted briefly, but she gave in with a nod of her head. With my consent, she ran the wet brush over my lips, and suddenly my lips weren't just pink, but vibrant and sparkly. I knew if I had given in to the rest of the makeover, I'd look so girlish I'd call this whole thing off. Or at least, I'd try.

I was uncomfortable with being girly. I always thought dresses and make-up never suited me, but somehow Alice made them look superb. Maybe being a little girly wasn't too bad. And I only had to wear the dress for two hours; I could do that. Compared to what I'd be doing underground, wearing a dress was easy.

Alice took me back into the bedroom. She pulled a shoebox out from underneath the bed and cracked it open with a devious smile. When I saw what was inside the box, I had to fight to keep from yelling at her. They were _heels!_ Not just normal heels, or even stilettos, but boots! _Peep-toe_ ankle boots.

"Alice," I started quietly, trying to control the anger in my voice, "I don't know if you've noticed this, but it's freezing outside."

Alice grinned. "I know," she chirped.

Her easy answer lost me the grip on my anger. "Then why are you dressing me up in a fucking mini dress with those death traps!" I screeched.

There was a knock on the open door. I turned to find Jasper leaning against the frame, his blond hair slicked back, wearing a tuxedo. My anger seemed to fade away, and I knew it was because of him; I didn't say anything. He looked just as uncomfortable as me, and suddenly I didn't feel so ridiculous. If he could put up with the stupid dress code, I guess I could too. Couldn't let a vampire best me, right?

"Everything okay in here?" he asked with a calm, quiet voice. "We need to go soon, you know that, right Alice?"

She didn't even turn around, just grinned at me. "I know, Jasper. Well, Bella, no time for arguments."

I snatched the booties from the box and sat on the bed with a frustrated sigh. "How high are these things?" I asked, defeated.

"Four inches," Alice answered.

"Are you kidding? I've never worn anything that high!"

She laughed. "It's not _that_ high, Bella. Four inches is a cakewalk compared to the eight inches I had originally picked out. Then I saw you break your leg on the church steps. Eight inches was a bad idea, but you can handle these."

Eight inches? Yeah, suddenly four didn't seem so intimidating. I slid my bare feet into the black shoes and zipped them up. I wished for tights or something to wear with this outfit, but I didn't want to risk anything with the thigh holster. Most women could wear any kind of stockings with a thigh band, but I was not most women. I'd find a way to rip either the tights or band somehow.

I stood on wobbly legs, and Alice helped me balance. The design made it feel like I was standing on my tip-toes. I did not like this one bit. I took a tentative step with Alice's help, then another, and two more before pulling out of her grasp. She hovered by while I adjusted to these monsters on my feet. I didn't do too badly for my first time in high heels.

I went to the door, trying not to stumble, where Jasper was still waiting. The heel caught in the carpet, and I tumbled toward him. He caught my arm before I could fall face first into the hall, but as soon as I was upright, I shrugged him off. Now that Alice was done primping me, I had my own preparations to make. I told Jasper to wait as I cautiously made my way back to the bathroom, where my bag still sat on the floor.

I grabbed the rig from behind the door and quickly unloaded the Striker. I had remembered I never loaded the incendiary shells, and I wanted to fix that quickly. I switched out the shells then had to dig around to find the knives Embry had packed; everything inside the bag was black, so it all melted together, but I finally found the knives in their sheaths. Because the thigh band had built-in sheaths, I didn't have to worry about stabbing myself. I hiked the skirt of the dress and slid the two knives into the band—hearing the click told me they were secure— and then reached for my pistol. I set the gun in its temporary holster along my leg. Carefully, I shoved the FAMAS, Striker, and sword inside the duffel bag, zipping it closed. Huh, Alice was right. They fit.

I was afraid to try and lift the bag in my heels, and Alice knew it. She offered to carry it downstairs for me. Which would be worse? Having a vampire touch my equipment or falling over in front of two vampires? I let her carry the bag while I tried not to cling to Jasper's arm going down the stairs. He was patient, taking them one step at a time. When we reached the first floor, I heaved a sigh of relief. Maybe I'd get the hang of walking in these things quickly.

Edward waited by the door, jingling the car keys in his hand, sunglasses on his face. What was he hiding behind there? Were they his new eyes? Did he kill someone? And apparently he felt he didn't have to dress up much, because his auburn hair was still a mess, and compared to Jasper's tux, he looked almost homely. Edward wore a simple gray vest with a white Oxford shirt and black slacks. Seriously, I was in a dress and four inch heels for this. Couldn't he have tried harder?

He snatched my bag from Alice, slinging it over his shoulder. "The car has all your luggage already," he said, sounding somewhat grumpy. "We need to go."

"You don't think I know that?" I hissed. "You try walking in these things."

His head made a bobbing motion, and I realized he was looking me up and down, stopping on the little boots. He opened his mouth to say something, but Alice was quicker.

"Try to remember that the shoes are suede, so if you get blood on them, it won't wash out," she said.

"Fine with me, because I'm throwing them out with the dress after we're done with the meet and greet, or tea time, or whatever it is vampires do," I said.

Alice grinned and tapped her temple. "I thought you might say that, so I thought ahead."

"More clothes?" I groaned. "Why couldn't you give me guns? I'd love a flamethrower."

Her face grew serious, the grin quickly slipping away. "Strength isn't going to help you now, Bella. You're entering a game of wits and politics. You have to follow Jasper's lead."

I glanced up at the stoic blond. "He's really in charge? I thought we were partners."

"Officially, Jasper is in charge, and Edward is second-in-command. You have to listen to them while you're down there, so try not to argue with them too much, okay? They can look after themselves, but they have to protect you as well. If you fight them every step of the way, it will make their jobs harder." She grinned as she said this.

I sighed, eyes catching sight of the hall clock. My feet were already killing me, and I'd barely walked in these shoes. "Can we just get going? It's already six o'clock."

Alice stood on her toes as Jasper bent down, giving him a sweet kiss. She didn't seem nervous at all that he might not come back. She bounced over to Edward to give him the same chaste kiss. She looked at me, and I shook my head, wobbling past them. My coat was still hanging in the closet, and I'd definitely need it in this getup.

"Be careful down there, Bella. I'm worried for you," Alice said sincerely. If the psychic was worried, what did that mean for me? Shit. "Watch your back when you're alone. Aro might try for you around every corner. Remember what I said about him, if he can't have you—"

"No one else can," I finished darkly. He could keep dreaming. The only way Aro was getting me was if I took him to Hell with me.

++-++-++

The sky was a gloomy indigo by the time we were in Seattle. The sun was still hidden behind the clouds, but with the help of the church's lights, I saw it long before we ever got to it. The high pillars of stone in between all the modern buildings were a big hint. When we maneuvered through the early morning traffic, finally pulling into the back parking lot, I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of it. It was beautiful, but I knew what lay underneath, and that made it intimidating. This was where the big bad vamps stayed. I could kill Aro, or he could kill me. This was it.

I grabbed my bag beside me and was about to open the car door when Jasper stopped me, a hand on my arm. I shrugged off his hand and turned back around to see his face set with grim determination.

"We have to use the front entrance," Jasper said quietly. "You can't carry the bag with you. All eyes will be on us; they're expecting us."

"I need the ammo," I replied, biting my lip with nerves. I only had one extra clip with me. Even with the clip, I had twenty shots. Definitely not enough to help me.

"They'll come get it and put it in our room."

"What room? Who?"

"The guards," he answered. He continued before I could take a breath to protest. "What were you and Alice talking about? No time for arguments? Now let's go, and try not to make eye contact." He opened his door, cold air rushing up my skirt, as he slipped on his sunglasses, exiting the car. Edward followed his lead without a word.

I reluctantly left the bag in the backseat and pulled myself out of the car. They didn't even wait for me, and I was in heels! I wouldn't have complained if they wanted to touch me now; my feet were killing me. I wanted someone to carry me. I clomped after them, shivering in my itty bitty dress, the coat doing nothing to protect me from the early morning frost. I told Alice a dress was a bad idea. I never saw anyone wear a dress in winter. Should've told her off.

I looked up from my feet to yell at the vamps for leaving me behind, but my breath caught in my throat. Eyes were everywhere. And they were looking at me.

To make the eerie silence in Seattle even worse, every face I passed on the sidewalk seemed to be staring. At first I thought it was the dress drawing attention to me, then I noticed the secretive smiles, and then I spotted the red eyes. The vamps in Seattle weren't like Jasper or Edward; they didn't hide behind sunglasses. I immediately stared down at my feet, pulled the coat tighter around me, and hurried towards the giant stone steps. They all knew we were here.

Jasper and Edward climbed the front steps while I struggled in the evil heels. Bunch of gentlemen they were; they couldn't even save a damsel in distress. Then again, maybe they thought I didn't want the help.

Edward held the door as he and Jasper waited at the top. When I finally made it up, my feet utterly aching, we entered the cathedral.

I stumbled just inside the door; it wasn't my clumsiness, but the sight of the interior. It was _huge._ There was no vestibule, so we were greeted by the tall ceiling and a sea of chairs. I took it all in with wide eyes. I never knew a building could be so beautiful. The many stained glass windows were already casting colors around the wide room. I followed the vamps down the walkway, approaching a fountain in the very middle of the room. Behind it were more chairs, and on the very back wall, hundreds of polished golden organ pipes shone through the spaces in the walls. It gave the illusion that the pipes were built into the walls.

We didn't go towards the organ; Jasper led us off to the right side, taking us through a door into a dim hall. We passed humans who kept their eyes glued to the marble floor. I had a feeling they worked here and knew exactly why we here. You couldn't have vampires come out of the woodwork and not know their master lived below you, right?

We walked down two more long hallways before Jasper took us through a large wooden door. He and Edward didn't even pause, just went through it. I stood in the doorframe, looking down into the room. I was faced with stone steps, the room dark and chilly. "Do you even know where you're going?" I asked, watching as Jasper's blond hair disappeared down the steps.

"It's been a while," his voice echoed, "but yes, I know exactly where I'm going."

"It seems like this door should be locked."

"It usually is. I told you; they know we're coming." His voice took on a teasing tone as he asked, "Would you like to join us down here?"

I glanced back down the empty hall, wondering how far I'd make it before they caught me. In these heels? Not far. Damn it. I sighed and reached for the wall inside the room, my hand met with cold, scratchy stone. I stepped down carefully, thankful for the light from the door above me. Slowly, I descended into the darkness.

After the twentieth step, the door closed behind me. I yelped with fear. I couldn't see the next step, and I had no idea where those stupid vampires went. My night vision was pretty good if I had a small bit of light, but there was none of that here. It was black as oil. If I closed my eyes, it would make no difference.

My free hand was caught by something cold. I screamed, taking my hand off the wall to grab my gun, but the heels threw me off balance. I fell forward, into something scratchy. I tried to shove out of its grasp, but two icy hands held onto my arms.

"Calm down, Bella, it's me!" the voice said.

I stopped squirming almost immediately, my heart beating against my chest so hard I was sure Edward could feel it against his. Pushing against his rough jacket, I stepped back and he let me go, chuckling all the while. I stopped gasping long enough to tell him, "You should have said something before you grabbed me."

"I scared you?" he asked happily.

"Just be lucky you don't sleep or I'd kill you then," I growled.

He laughed and a light shone on his face, the sunglasses still covering his eyes. He was holding a small flashlight. I _really_ hated him. He could've lit up the stairs for me.

"Relax Bella, I was just having a bit of fun," he teased.

"I hate you, I really do. That wasn't funny, and it definitely wasn't _fun_."

"Let's keep moving," Jasper's voice barked from somewhere in the darkness.

Edward turned, shining the light in front of him. I followed closely. The uneven cobblestone was hard to walk on, and if I fell, I'd at least have someone to grab.

I tried to take in my surroundings, but I couldn't see much outside of the light. I'd guessed we were in a cellar. There were racks of wine, but no coffins. Wasn't this where all the vampires stayed? I thought they would've been lower. And what happened to that electricity and heat the Cullens' told me about?

"It seems stupid for a vampire to hide underneath a church," I said, unable to stand the silence any more. "It's too public."

"Not exactly," answered Edward. "This is just the main entrance to Aro's lair; we're using it to show respect. We could have entered from any of the tunnels. The cathedral might be a public location, but the real entrance is inaccessible to anyone who isn't a vampire."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a long way down." We turned the corner, and up ahead I could see a dark red light, Jasper standing underneath it. The flashlight went off when we finally caught up to him.

"This is the real entrance," Jasper explained, motioning to something beyond the arch we stood under. "It's just a short walk after the jump, and then we're officially cut off from the outside world."

I stepped past him to see what he was talking about. In the middle of the small room was a wide stone well. I bent over it, staring down into more darkness. Even with the red light I couldn't see anything. Great.

"I'm not going down there," I said. "There has to be another way."

Jasper shook his head. "You already agreed to do this, Bella. You can't back out now."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "How am I even getting down there?"

"It's a drop only the undead can survive, so I'll hold you, or Edward can."

After what Edward did on the steps, and the fact that he had some weird attraction to me, I wasn't letting him hold me. I smoothed the back of my dress, the skirt barely as long as the coat. "I'm not comfortable with this."

"None of us are, but it's something we'll work through. Edward can go first, to show you there's nothing to fear."

Edward came to the well and stepped up on the thin lip. He didn't even pause, just fell into the dark depths. I leaned over the well again, waiting to hear a splash or a crack or _something_ that would show he was down there. Nothing happened.

Jasper stood by my side, leaning over with me and called down, "Are you clear?"

"Come on down!" Edward's voice echoed off the walls.

Jasper straightened up and looked at me, a small smile on his lips. "Let's go." His hand was suddenly around my wrist, pulling me to him. I struggled, digging my heels into the floor, but that didn't slow him down. When I was close enough, he wrapped an arm around my legs, knocking me over, but caught my back with his other arm. I was suddenly cradled to his chest, trying not to scream my head off.

"You could've asked!" I complained, still kicking in his arms.

He stepped onto the lip. "If you don't stop squirming, I might drop you." That stopped any movement I might've made next.

I looked down to find the pit of darkness at his feet. I swallowed hard and turned my gaze to his face. "There is a floor down there, right?" I asked with my shaking voice.

"Why? Are you scared?" he asked with a grin.

"I'm going to the heart of a coven with only two vampires I don't know to keep me from getting killed, and one of those vampires is about to fall down a well with me in his arms!"

He seemed to consider it for a moment. "Good point," and with that said, he stepped into the well.

I felt the air rush by me, taking my ability to scream with it; it ruffled my dress, tugged my hair. It felt like we fell forever. When I felt the impact jar Jasper's body, I jerked. He held me closer, but he didn't stumble. He let me down before standing up, and I scrambled to get my footing. After that drop, my legs were shaking like leaves in the wind. Edward was there to hold me steady. He held onto my elbow with a strong hand, and waited while I found my equilibrium. My skin crawled, but I didn't shake him off. I clung to his arm and fought to control my breathing. It gave me the chance to look around.

We were standing in a dark corridor, but up ahead there was a bright light beyond an arched doorway, showing off smooth white stone. I swore if I had to walk much farther, I'd take off the boots, no matter how dirty the floor was. Jasper dusted off his coat and took the lead again while I let Edward go, following after him.

We passed under the arch, the hallway before us ending with an elevator. Seriously? Edward didn't seem surprised; his face was empty as he kept pace with Jasper. Wasn't this his first time down here too?

Jasper pushed the button, and the scratched metal doors opened immediately. We all stepped in. There was only one button inside; it would take us lower, closer to the vampires. The doors closed, and we were on our way to vampiric central station.


	15. Chapter 15

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. I make no money off this, it's just for fun.**

++-++-++

_Whew! Darn FFn isn't accepting documents for some odd reason, so I was freaking out that I wouldn't get to update today.  
I fought all day with the stupid thing, and then someone comes up with a genius workaround. It's not quite Saturday, so I say I'm in the clear ;)_

_  
Anyway, here we are again, back on schedule! Are you ready for another update? Before we go any further, I'm forced to put this up:  
**WARNING! These are vampires, and they will talk circles around you. This chapter may confuse you to no end.**_

_Alright! Thank you to my excellent beta, GreatChemistry, because she works so freakin' hard and I can never thank her enough.  
Seriously, I wish I could send you some flowers or something, ha ha! (:_

_Quick announcements!  
The Howling Wolf Awards have closed their voting. Just waiting for the results now. To everyone who nominated me and voted for me, thank you so much!  
I appreciate you all taking time out of your busy days to read and review CV, but to vote too? Thank you!  
And I'm accepted over at the Indie Twific Awards! When voting begins, I'll let you know ;)_

_Okay, now you may proceed with caution. It's heavy plot, and tons of confusing dialogue.  
Enjoy, and don't forget to review!  
I'd like to hear some guesses about Aro's motives, or why he seems so... well, you'll see._

_++-++-++  
_

The ride was silent, only the hum of the machinery filled the small space. A dark cloud of tension surrounded us. I did my best to ignore it, but it was hard. No one told me how Renfields act. I had come to the conclusion they assumed because I grew up around vampires, I knew everything about them. I wanted to ask what I was supposed to do, how I should act, around the vampires, but the ride didn't take very long. Just as I was about to open my mouth, a chime sounded.

The elevator doors swished open to reveal a wide room with tons of hallways leading off to every direction. They were arched walkways, and a hard-pressed dirt floor. It wasn't as brightly lit as the previous hallway, but thanks to the light bulbs hanging around, I could see the bones pressed into the floor, the dark shapes of rats scurrying around. I almost didn't want to step out of the elevator.

Jasper moved first, still leading the way. I knew he wouldn't wait for me, so I carefully stepped out onto the dirt. My heels sank into the soft floor as I followed Jasper. The ceiling was close to our heads, the walls and columns made from crumbling bricks, and I noticed the dark tunnels on both sides. They were big enough to drive a car through; I couldn't imagine what a vampire could hide in them.

I was so focused on watching for movement that I crunched several of the bones by accident, my skin crawling with each dry crack. If they were so brittle, they'd been here a while. Were they animal or human? I stayed focused on my feet, trying to avoid stepping on any more, which caused me to bump into Jasper's back when he abruptly stopped. I looked up to find someone in the hall, blocking our way to the giant door beyond. We were almost out of the catacombs, but we had some vamp to deal with first.

Great, just fucking great.

His hair was a shade darker than Jasper's, and he wasn't as tall or muscular. A black eye patch covered his right eye, but the one dark red eye visible held the anger and hatred of two. Oh, this was definitely a problem.

Edward pulled me back by my left arm. I knew it wasn't accidental. The message was loud and clear, but my fingers kept twitching for my gun anyway.

The vamp closed the distance between him and Jasper. From his walk I could tell he was not a small fish around here. He walked with grace and power, and with a look that said he knew how to use both.

"Well, well, well," the vampire sneered, "I never thought I'd see the day the great Jasper comes crawling back. And with old flesh comes new blood. Is that your new whore?" He nodded at me. Edward tightened his grip on my arm, nearly bruising flesh.

"Actually, she's much more important than that," Jasper answered nonchalantly. "Don't you recognize her, James?"

In a blink James was in my face. I stepped back, stumbling in the stupid heels, but Edward was there to steady me. James frowned as his eye ran up and down my body, before he made a sound that could never come from a human's throat. It was an animalistic growl; the deep sound raised goose bumps on my skin.

"Where did you find this _thing_?" James asked with a snarl. "Aro has been looking for it everywhere."

Jasper didn't even turn around, but Edward made me take another step back as James leaned forward. Normally, being so close to a vampire, I'd try to play tough while my heart tried to burst out of my chest, but for some reason I didn't have to fight to remain still. I wasn't scared or angry; in fact, I didn't feel anything. It had to be Jasper playing with my emotions, right? If he could prevent me from shooting something and ruining our plan, then it was almost okay. We couldn't blow this. I knew that, so why did I still hate the idea that someone could run my emotions?

"She's mine," said Jasper. "That's why Aro couldn't find her. Now step away from my slave; you're making her uncomfortable."

_Slave?_ That proved he was controlling me. If I had an ounce of free will, I'd throw the plan right out the window. I didn't care what I was supposed to be, I did _not_ want to be called a slave the entire time we were here.

"And what if I don't want to move?" James challenged, grinning at me.

Jasper finally turned around, and with his sunglasses, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. I was sure it was all an act, but his voice was deadly serious as he replied, "Then I'll kill you."

James growled, and I saw him reach for me. Edward's grip loosened, probably to stop James. My hand instantly went for the gun that should've been under my arm; I grasped empty air. My confusion gave Edward the split second he needed. His arm wrapped around my waist, the room spun, and suddenly I was staring at Jasper's back. He had James pressed against the wall, a hand secure around his throat.

"We've had this discussion before," Jasper told the other vamp. "You don't touch my property. Ever."

"And do you remember what I told you then? I won't hesitate to kill you. You were always a thorn in my side," James spat.

"It's not my fault you were too weak to impress Aro."

"You stole it from me!"

I didn't see what happened, but suddenly Jasper was flung across the hall and embedded in the wall. Edward swore quietly. Apparently James wasn't supposed to be this strong. James was coiled to pounce, but the sound of the door opening behind me stopped him. He stood straight, looking a little panicked.

"Gentlemen, you're being very disrespectful," a new voice snapped. I turned to the big door behind me to find a small girl standing in the doorway. She looked like a child with her brown hair in pigtails, her long red dress spotless and wrinkle free. It had a high collar that framed her face; I guess she wore it because she thought it made the red of her eyes pop. Or maybe she just wanted to look like a child from a horror movie. I was betting on the latter.

She held the hem of her gown as she stepped off the high platform onto the dirt floor, assessing the situation with a dark look. "Aro sent me to see what was taking so long, because we all know Master likes to stay on schedule," she explained. "I never expected this worthless creature to be the holdup."

I felt a breeze and glanced over my shoulder to find Jasper directly behind me, dusting off his coat. It looked like a hard hit, but he was unscathed, of course. I couldn't forget that vampires were made of stronger things. A smack against some bricks was no problem for them.

"I'm sorry, Jane," Jasper said. "I wasn't expecting James to stir up trouble so soon."

"No reason to apologize; it's completely our fault. He wasn't even supposed to be near these corridors." She focused her evil little eyes on the creature still skulking behind us. "James, where did your mistress tell you to go?"

"It's none of your business," he spat.

"Get there and _stay_ there," she replied. "I'll take our guests to Master."

With a sneer, James shuffled down a different hall and seemed to disappear. Did Jasper know where every tunnel led? I almost didn't want to know how many there were.

The mood seemed to lighten now that James was gone. Edward released me, and I took that as a sign the immediate trouble was over. I wasn't going to ask if they trusted Jane. I honestly didn't want to know where their alliance fell. They were supposed to protect me, but these were vampires. They protected each other. I'd have to find some way to make sure Jasper wasn't too believable in his role. What Edward was doing here, well, I had yet to figure that out.

Jane sighed; it sounded almost tired. "He's gotten worse since you've been gone. You know, you can have him formally executed," she said sweetly. "You just need to say the word."

"I don't think Aro will value my opinion much anymore," Jasper replied.

"You never know. Master cherished having you behind his throne. He's very excited you wanted to come back."

"And what about my mistress?"

Jane turned on her heel and casually threw over her shoulder, "She wants to see you immediately after your meeting. Better hope Master is never done with you; she's missed her whipping boy."

I wanted to look at Jasper, ask him what exactly his mistress did to him while he was here. Was it the reason he left? But I knew he wouldn't tell me, or at least not in front of Jane.

Was it a good or bad thing that we were getting in so easily?

Jasper helped me step onto the platform, and I sighed with relief. Finally on solid ground, and it was much warmer in here than the tunnels. That was a plus.

The room was a massive oval with halls and doors stretching everywhere, the floor a smooth, polished white that reflected the whole scene; it was filled with desks, tables, and large chairs scattered around. The domed ceiling was covered in what looked like a smaller version of the Sistine Chapel's mural. How could they even have a dome ceiling underground? Vampires were completely illogical, but I had to admit it looked nice.

Jasper pulled me close and slid his arm through mine as we followed Jane. It looked like he was escorting me, but it felt more like he was showing me off. What was my role? Was I supposed to be smug, or afraid?

Vampires and Renfields hurried back and forth, like good little worker bees should. A lot of them at desks had stopped their work as soon as we entered. Some humans didn't seem to be surprised we were here, but all the vampires were staring. We were officially in the public eye.

I tried to ignore the stares as we passed. Thanks to Jasper's influence, I wasn't really worried about what they meant, but I couldn't help wondering. Most of them were wide eyes, shock. Was it me, or was it "the great" Jasper? Some vamps actually nodded, or maybe bowed a little, so it had to be because of Jasper. What had he done to gain such respect, and how did he keep it?

Before we left the room down a bright hallway, Jane motioned to a human standing off to the side. He was willing to take our coats, so we would be more comfortable. Coat or not, I was not going to be comfortable at any time. I was reluctant to give mine up; the back of the dress showed off most of my back, which meant the tattoo was in view. For some reason, it made me feel more vulnerable. I hesitantly handed it off, and he took all our coats away with a short bow.

Jane continued to lead us through white halls full of busy bees. The length of the halls was almost as bad as the church, maybe longer. Didn't they have golf carts for the humans? We passed through three large hallways—left, left, and a right, just because I was trying to memorize this huge place already—before Jane stopped us at a dead end. We stood in front of a huge painting, a portrait of three women. The other walls were bare, so it seemed a little out of place.

She tugged on a hidden indent in the frame and the portrait popped open to reveal a tall porthole leading to more white marble. A hidden room behind a painting? Classic. These vampires really were old fashioned. We followed Jane through the short tunnel, into the large room only to be faced with more vampires.

I almost thought it was a trap, until I noticed where we were, and what their role could've been. The room was round, and pillars sat against the wall in certain places, with chairs settled in the space between them.

We were surrounded by vampires.

I counted ten chairs, and every one was full. I didn't include the chair at the front of the room on the dais, because it wasn't simply a chair, it was a throne. It was made from gold, with rubies and emeralds set along the straight back. It looked uncomfortable, but I guess if you wanted to intimidate someone and show off your wealth, that was the way to do it. The statuesque vampires sitting around were uncomfortable, but obviously witnesses. Witnesses for what, was what I wanted to know.

Jasper stopped us in the middle of the room, facing the throne. The way the lights reflected off the gold made it almost painful to look at, but I didn't want to stare at any of the vampires. I could already hear them whispering.

Jane stood beside the throne as another vamp entered from a door behind the throne. He was covered from head-to-toe in a black robe, only his white jaw visible. The other vamps knew what was coming; they stood, still silent.

The big vamp said in a booming voice, "Presenting Master Aro, ruler of Volterra and Seattle!"

The vamps bowed. Jasper and Edward fell to one knee while I stayed standing. I didn't know what to do, but there was no way I was bowing to a vampire. I was actually surprised Jasper didn't drag me to the ground with him. Maybe he thought I would curtsy? No way. My eyes stayed glued to the stone doorway, and when the shadows moved, I sucked in a breath.

A tall, slim figure came through the door. He dropped his hood to reveal a youthful face surrounded by soft, almost-feminine black curls brushing his shoulders. I'd say he died no younger than thirty-five, but I might've been wrong since he had no wrinkles whatsoever. He grinned at his audience and pulled the robe off with a flourish to reveal a Victorian-style black and gold frock coat with matching vest. A bejeweled rapier hung on his hip, and I tried not to gawk at his pants. _Leather?_

His murky red eyes took in the room with a single sweep, then came back to settle on me. I slowly let my breath out with a quiet sigh. With one look alone, I knew we were all dead. This wasn't just any vampire; this was exactly what Carlisle had warned me about.

I was staring into the face of time itself.

Aro smiled and slipped off his rapier, setting it beside the throne as he sat down. When he was settled, he addressed the room with a rich voice, "Sit, sit. No need to trouble yourselves."

The vamps around the room sat back down, but Jasper and Edward stayed on the floor. Aro looked at them for a second longer, then made a motion with his hand; they must've seen it because they quickly stood. He smirked.

"What's this delicious treat?" His eyes were trained on mine, and I quickly looked away. "Ah, how could I not recognize her? The famed vampire hunter, Isabella Swan. Now I understand why you insulted me. No bow, no curtsy in that adorable dress of yours—no sign of deference at all. Is this Car—"

"I apologize for my slave's lack of respect, Master Aro, please don't count it against her," Jasper interrupted. "She's very new."

"So I see. And what about you? Remove those awful glasses; let me see your eyes."

Jasper quickly took off his sunglasses, tucking them in his pocket, and showed the room his new red eyes. Aro gasped with surprise, sitting forward in his chair, as if he couldn't see from there. Yeah, right.

"What caused this change of events, Jasper? The last time I saw you, you were trailing a little sprite through the halls. Was she the one who stole you from me, led you to Carlisle?"

"Yes, Master Aro, but I quickly learned it was one of my worse decisions."

"Intriguing. Usually when one runs off to Carlisle, they stay with him and his unorthodox lifestyle. Completely ridiculous, but he is very persuasive." Aro held out his hand, as if he expected someone to come and take it. "Whatever took place, it was very recent. I can see you're still new to your old diet. Tell me what happened."

Jasper crossed the short distance and took Aro's hand. What had Carlisle said about his power? He read minds through touch. Why would he want to read Jasper's mind when he could just say what happened? I glanced behind me to Edward, but because of the dark sunglasses, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Aro released Jasper, and he came back to stand beside me. Aro sat further back on his throne, crossed one leg over the other, and steepled his fingers. "This is perhaps too private to be held in front of an audience," he said. The vamps around the room muttered something about favoritism. Aro quieted them with a wave of his hand. "I never favor one child over another; we all know this. Now go, all of you. Even you, little Jane. Quickly."

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, but he quickly shooed her away like a dog. She huffed, but like the obedient pet she was, she followed the line. The vampires filed out of the room, all of them murmuring. I had a feeling we were going to be in trouble during our stay. Just because getting in was easy didn't mean staying in would be too. I'd make sure to shorten our little field trip by a few days. Jasper could start looking for Charlie tonight, and if he wouldn't do it, I would. I had a whole bag of ammo to spend.

A loud thud echoed in the room; someone had slammed the painting. That left us all alone together. With the glint in Aro's eyes, I could tell we had an awful conversation coming. Whatever he had planned for me, he could keep it to himself. I wasn't looking forward to finding out.

He stood and stepped off the dais, coming to stand in front of me. He was a few heads taller than me, but that was okay, I wasn't going to meet his eyes. Sometimes vampires could control you with just their eyes; no biting required. He walked a tight circle around me, while I stayed glued to my spot, my head high. When he disappeared from view, I clenched my fists to prevent pulling my gun, but I managed. He made a full circle before he stopped in front of me. He had a strange smile on his face, and it took me a second to realize where I had seen it before.

Carlisle had the same smile. Empty, pleasant; a smile that could mean so many things. I resisted the urge to step back.

"I must admit," Aro started conversationally, "I wasn't expecting the talented Isabella Swan to appear before me so quickly. I knew you would come for your father, but I thought I might have a few days to prepare before you came knocking at my door. News travels so fast these days."

_Prepare for what?_ I wanted to ask, but with the look Jasper gave me, I knew it wasn't what a Renfield would do. I was in enough trouble for not showing respect, I didn't have to verbally insult him too. I wanted to, but I didn't have to. I bit my tongue as Aro continued.

"I wasn't expecting you to come with backup, and of my own blood, too. Such a sneaky girl. Why are you here with Jasper?"

Before I had the chance to panic, Jasper spoke up for me. "She's mine. I thought you knew that."

"Yours?" Aro asked with disbelief. "She certainly doesn't smell like you." He leaned close, taking a deep breath. "She smells like cosmetics, oil, gun powder, but underneath it all"—he took another breath—"I only smell strawberries. Not a single trace of your ownership. However, I smell her in you. Have you forgotten how to make a faithful servant?"

"There wasn't much time; she was trying to kill me," Jasper answered.

Aro chuckled. His face was neutral as he focused on me, but his eyes were way too excited. The first spurt of fear I had was gone in an instant, thanks to Jasper. "Yes, I saw. You're very lucky you got her first; I was ready to come after her myself. There's something very . . . interesting about her. Compelling, almost. Did you think the same of her?"

He looked almost sheepish. "Not exactly. I was just looking for food."

"Was that what happened? It seems almost too likely your prey happened to be a famed vampire hunter. Yet I could barely make sense of the memory; it was vague, missing details in some parts. I'd love to hear the other side." Aro held his hand out to me. I stared at the smooth pale skin but didn't take it. Whatever Jasper showed Aro, it was enough to confuse him.

"Take my hand, Isabella," Aro encouraged with a smile, almost like he was talking to a toddler. "Let me see inside that young mind."

I didn't want to touch him. What if he got inside my head? Could he only read minds, or was there something more to his power? I really didn't want to find out. It would ruin everything. Jasper might have fooled Aro, but I had no idea what I was doing. If our cover was based off a lie, I didn't want to mess it up. I crossed my arms under my chest, glaring at the old vamp's chest.

"I don't want to," I said stiffly.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Aro's mouth twitch twice; his smile fell slightly. "It's not a matter if you want to or not; _I_ want you to do it. Such defiance is not welcome in my palace."

"Isabella, take Master Aro's hand," Jasper barked.

Against my will, my hand shot up, only to be enveloped by both of Aro's. _What just happened?_ Jasper said he wouldn't be able to control me. The worry was quickly chased away as Aro touched me. I concentrated on the feel of his chilly hands, but that was a mistake. The cold was unlike anything I felt before, but it wasn't just a temperature; it was his power. It crawled up my arm, spread over my chest and up my neck, constricting me, making it hard to breathe. I gasped uselessly. I was drowning in a freezing ocean of his power.

Stupidly, I tried to wrench my hand free. Aro held on, pulling me closer as I struggled, until we were toe-to-toe. One of his hands tipped my chin; he forced me to look up into his eyes. His pupils had disappeared, only to be replaced by bright red flames. They seemed to come closer with every breath I took. The cold wind crept into the back of my skull, like skeletal fingers lightly running over my brain. They were trying to pick at something. I could feel it. Oh god. I could _feel_ it.

I screamed and fought to tear free. Aro released me with a gasp. The swiftness of it made me stumble, but my legs were too weak to hold me up. The heels made me teeter before I fell backwards. Jasper was there to catch me; he set me upright, but I shook off him off as soon as I was stable. I wasn't sure what happened, but I definitely knew I wasn't happy with him.

I was light headed and nearly hyperventilating, but I didn't feel sick. Point for me. I took a deep breath, trying to even my breathing. "What did you do?" I panted, glaring at Aro.

He was rubbing his hand like it hurt. "Absolutely nothing. I hoped to see into your mind, yet you fought me. No, there was simply nothing there. Still, in the end, you pushed me out. How did you do that?"

"You mind fucked me!"

He ignored me and went back to his throne, settling back and pulling the rapier from its sheath. He seemed to be thinking about something as he passed it from hand to hand before he drew little circles in the air with the blade. "I wish I had, but that's not the case. If I had known this would happen, I would have told Marcus and Caius to wait to return to Italy. I know they would love to meet you."

"They can—"

"Quiet," interrupted Jasper.

My mouth snapped shut. I tried to open it again, but it was as if I had no control over my body. I wanted to scream at him. This wasn't what we had agreed on! We were supposed to be partners.

Aro watched it all with a smile as he sheathed the rapier again. "Your servant seems to have trouble controlling herself, Jasper. Is she always this unruly?"

"She doesn't understand what an _honor_ this is," he said sternly, glaring right back at me.

"I'm sure there are others here who could tame her, don't you agree?"

"Of course, but I'm not willing to trade." Jasper set his hand on my bare shoulder, but I shrugged him off.

Aro sighed. "You never are. You were perhaps the most selfish we produced; sometimes I wondered where it came from. Now then, tell me the real reason you returned. It's something more than just a few well-placed memories, correct?"

Jasper bristled, but his face remained calm.

"What are you looking for down here?" Aro asked with a smirk.

"A home," Jasper answered.

"And what about Edward here?" Aro propped his chin on his hand as he leaned on the chair arm. "So disrespectful, Edward. Remove the glasses; I want to know what you're hiding."

Edward stepped closer to the throne. "You're not going to finish with Jasper?" he asked, surprised.

"I believe he's already done. I don't care for his motives; he was one of my best soldiers, a true warrior at heart, and he brought Isabella Swan to me. Whatever he wants, he will get it. But you, I'm not so sure. You have always been a deceitful one, Edward. The glasses, please."

Edward shrugged and lowered his head, hiding his eyes from the old vampire, but I could see them as he took off the sunglasses. I gasped as the gold irises were revealed. He looked up to Aro, his jaw set stubbornly.

Aro sat upright with shock; it was clear as day on his face. It quickly dissolved into anger. "Those damned golden eyes," he hissed. "I thought you might have changed your mind, yet here I sit, staring at Carlisle's vassal. What are you here for? A warning? Threats? If so, I have heard them before, and I'm not impressed."

"Actually, I'm starting to get tired of Carlisle's way of life," Edward replied dismissively. "I came with Jasper after he insisted what a great place you have down here. You treat your puppets like royalty; Carlisle only shoves his beliefs on us."

Aro gave a disbelieving look all with the elegant lift of an eyebrow. "Carlisle does? I never thought he could be so assertive. Show me my old friend." He motioned Edward forward, apparently going to read his mind too. What did Aro see when he touched people? There had to be more to it than just hearing thoughts.

Aro held onto Edward longer than he did Jasper; he had closed his eyes, nodding randomly. The silence stretched on for so long, I thought they'd forgotten there was a human in the room. When Aro finally moved, I jumped. He sighed heavily, releasing Edward so he could step back.

"I never realized what a hard master Carlisle could become," Aro murmured thoughtfully. "Well, no reason to fret about the past. I see you have no ill intentions, so I'm willing to let you stay. However, if you choose to stay permanently, you will have to take a blood oath."

Edward bowed. "I understand. Thank you, Master Aro."

"As for rooms, I suppose I can spare a few. There is a chamber currently available, as if like magic, wouldn't you say?" The old vamp gave me a crazy smile. "Isabella and her master can stay there. Edward, I can—"

"That will be fine," Edward interrupted.

"So convenient," Aro sighed wistfully. "Perhaps when you make your final decision, I can convince you to wear the coveted cloak?"

Edward chuckled. "We'll have to wait and see."

"Not too long, I hope. You know I am not a patient man."

"We'll have to wait and see," he repeated firmly.

The ancient vampire sighed again and assisted his lanky body up from the chair. He made a very human gesture and ran his hand through his hair.

"Very well. Jane and Alec will escort you to your rooms. Jasper, after your loving mistress is done with you, I want to see you back here. We still have many things to discuss," he said darkly.

Jasper nodded, turning it into a short bow. "Of course. Thank you, Master Aro, for your hospitality."

"Oh no, Jasper, thank _you_. Now, away with all of you. I'm very busy, you know," Aro laughed.

Jasper bowed again, Edward doing the same, before turning for the exit. I almost didn't want to give the old vamp my back, but when Jasper grabbed me, I had no choice. The skin between my bare shoulder blades twitched and crawled with the knowledge Aro was watching me; I could feel his gaze burning a hole in my back. Was he watching his special mark walk away?

When we were back in the hall, I dragged my feet against the floor, successfully slowing Jasper down. He looked down at me with tired eyes. I saw the expression on Sam enough times to know what it meant. Whatever I was going to say, he didn't want to hear it. Still, it wasn't stopping me. This was a vampire, not Sam; they didn't get tired.

"What did you do in there?" I hissed. "You said you couldn't control me."

"Not now, Bella, please," Jasper groaned. "We'll talk later."

"No, we'll talk right now. I want to know what the fu—"

"Jasper," Edward warned quietly.

Jasper kept moving me forward, and I noticed his face changed; the exhaustion was still there, but it was a friendly vibe. I looked to the mouth of the hall to see two small figures. Jane was back, and beside her was someone who could have been her male counterpart. His brunette hair was cut short yet still looked shaggy around his boyish face. He was dressed in complete black, only the red tie gave the suit some relief. Jane still looked like an evil doll; actually, with the expression on her face, she looked more like a murderous doll. Her twin was smiling, completely at ease.

"So nice to see real talent back in this place," he said. "Welcome back, Jasper."

"It's good to be back, Alec," Jasper replied.

"Come with us. We'll take you to your rooms," Jane growled.

They turned in unison before clasping hands. We followed closely behind them as we went back to the main room; even their steps were synchronized. Freaky.

From the main room, we moved down a hallway with doors. I couldn't help but wonder what was behind them. Empty rooms? Torture chambers? Offices? What did vampires even do down here? I knew exactly what they did in Forks and Port Angeles—they monitored people, made their Renfields and humans sort all kinds of paperwork, and keep watch and write reports on certain families. It had to be the same in Seattle, right? Maybe this was where the plans for world domination happened.

We followed the hall as it curved twice, and then morphed into a spiraling staircase. Instead of going down, the steps led up. I had trouble climbing the steps—not because of the heels, oh no, my feet were numb with pain so I couldn't feel them anymore—because it seemed they were built for something not human. They were wide and uneven; some of the stone was warped in certain places, as if a huge beast had scaled them numerous times, pressed its weight into the stone. But the vamps had no trouble. Ugh, of course not.

When we reached the top, Alec pulled open the wooden door and ushered us through. Suddenly I was in a _completely_ different world.

The stone turned into smooth black and tan tile, the walls couldn't even be called that; they were works of art. Murals of naked humans and destruction stretched down the hall until we came out in a large room, almost like a foyer. There was a den in one corner, a crackling fireplace, and tons of cushy seats. There were only two halls here, one to my left and right. I gaped and gasped with every elaborate decoration along the wall.

"This is your chamber," Alec explained, making a sweeping motion with his arm to take in the whole room. "Master wanted you to feel comfortable and have only the best. He also wanted you to know that if you need anything, he's just downstairs."

My body ran cold. Aro stayed in a room below ours? That meant he would show up often. Okay, so many this room wasn't all that great.

Without another word, the twins left. I went back down the painted hallway to check the door; it had a lock, but it wouldn't do much good. Either way, I flicked the lock. It would calm my nerves a little; at least humans couldn't come in.

I passed the main room to explore the right hallway and found a single door at the end. I peered into the room. With the light from the hallway, I could see an expansive bedroom complete with en-suite bathroom and an orgy-sized bed with attached canopy. My duffel bag sat on the chaise at the foot of the bed. Was this all mine? Where would Jasper stay? I sat on the bed and immediately sank. _Wow, now this is what I call a bed!_

Despite the entire situation, at least the stay wouldn't suck.

Edward appeared in the doorway, blocking the light from the hallway, as he came in. He took a good look around in the dark. "Very . . . aristocratic," he said. "It's amazing what they can do, being so far underground."

"Do I even want to know how deep we are?" I asked, laying back.

"No," he replied with a smile in his voice, "but I can tell you how deep we are in vampires."

"Very funny. Hey, where are you and Jasper staying? And where did Jasper disappear to?"

"He went to his mistress, Maria. I have the room at the other end, but Jasper will rarely have any free time. Because he brought you, Aro already wants him back behind the throne. Between Aro and Maria, Jasper will be very busy."

"So he won't have time to look for Charlie." Great. That meant I'd have to do it all myself. Where would I even begin to look? Everything here was super-sized.

"I never said that," Edward replied softly. "He'll probably make plenty of stops at the dungeon; there will be time to look for your father."

I sat up, peering over the footboard. "You really think they have him in the dungeon?"

He shrugged as he stepped outside the room, returning with a suitcase. "Alice packed for you, and yes, there are many more where this came from. For now, let's not worry about Jasper or Charlie. Let's just get out of these clothes and relax. We have plenty of time."

"You'll help look too, right?" I asked. "Aro won't have you on lock down because of your eyes, will he?"

"Don't worry about me, Bella," Edward answered. "I know exactly what makes Aro tick; I have a feeling he won't be a problem to any of us." He set the suitcase down and flicked on the overhead light, an electric hum coming to life. "I'm going to change. Just try not to over think anything, Bella. Whatever happens, it'll work out. Nothing to worry about." He closed the door behind him.

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I couldn't worry too much about Charlie; he might not be able to take on a whole coven, but he could take care of himself. He had to still be alive. And I couldn't worry over Jasper being able to control me. I hated it, I was afraid of it, but if he did it to keep me on everyone's good side . . . that made it kind of okay.

If I worried too much, it would make it impossible to do my job. As soon as I changed, I was getting answers from Edward. For now, my plan was to get out of the dress, and the stupid fucking boots. I was never wearing heels ever again. That was my plan—no vampires involved. Yeah, definitely sounded like a great idea.


	16. Chapter 16

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

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_Late again, I know. Real life is being a hassle; Thursday's and Friday's are extremely busy for me, so I have a feeling CV might be getting a new schedule. Again.  
Anyway, who's ready for some answers? Oh, and a quick heads-up: Edward is a bit of a jerk in this chapter.  
And it's short. But that means more chapters in the long run! ;)_

_Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my marvelous beta, GreatChemistry! How you understand what's going on through all the typos and weird (or missing) words,  
I'll never know, but I totally appreciate it. Without you, CV is nothing!  
And thank you for kicking my butt in a few places. I needed it. _

_Okay everyone, time to enjoy! And don't forget, that review button is there for a special reason, ha ha! (:  
_

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In a matter of seconds, Alice's handiwork was destroyed. I tore the sticks out of my hair, pulled off the boots, and had the dress in a wrinkled heap before I even opened the suitcase. Stretching, I ran my hands through my hair, trying to shake the headache away. It only made it worse.

I didn't know what Edward was expecting we would do while Jasper was busy, but I had an idea. Answers would be nice. I thought we had negotiated for answers in Forks; turned out they _still _let me go in blind. I wondered what else they lied about.

I didn't want to get dressed and interrogate a vampire. I really, really didn't. The bed was looking more and more comfortable. I wanted to lie down, fall asleep, and let all the terrible things wash away, but I didn't let myself sit down or I'd never get back up. There was work to do be done, and it all started with a few answers. I wasn't happy about it—I wasn't even good at it—but interrogation was necessary.

The thigh holster came off before I threw the suitcase on the bed, popping it open. Either Alice wasn't committed to dressing me, or she stored the extravagant outfits in another suitcase. Where were the others, and what awful secrets did they hide? This suitcase was barely full. I dug past the skirts and blouses, searching for something suitable to wear for comfort. Alice knew I liked simple, but I wasn't unconventional. To me, skirts did not say comfort. Comfort meant sneakers and jeans, and I doubted Alice packed that. But then I found hope. Resting on the bottom were faded blue jeans and a few solid scoop-neck T-shirts. I quickly pulled them on, not even caring how ridiculous I looked with the push-up bra. I felt way more normal than I had beforehand.

My pistol sat on the bed, waiting patiently to be returned to its proper place. With the jeans, the band wouldn't work. I didn't care if any of the vamps disapproved; I was putting on my rig. The older vamps would simply have to get used to someone being heavily armed.

Grabbing the duffel bag, I eagerly unzipped it, grinning at the sight inside. At least I knew no one bothered my luggage. Everything was still in the bag down to the cleaning utensils, and with a quick check, all my weapons were still loaded. Not one magazine out of place. Either these were stupid vampires, or they _really_ underestimated me.

I pulled out my rig and another strap of fabric. Oh, the wrist sheath for the knives. It wouldn't hurt to put it on, just in case. I slid into my rig, finally settling my gun back under my arm. Normalcy never felt so good. I only wished I wasn't twenty thousand leagues under the sea, or ground as it were. I wanted to be holed up in my room in Forks, or maybe out in the Phoenix sunshine. Actually, I wouldn't mind a nice walk on the beach in Jacksonville with Renee. Where was a genie when you needed it?

Slinging the Striker over my shoulder, I put on the "big girl" pants and flung open the door. Time to get to work, although I wouldn't say questioning vampires was on my résumé. I tended to shoot first, ask questions later.

Edward was sprawled out on the sofa in the black and tan parlor. Dressed in a loose shirt and jeans, he looked completely at ease. He was so relaxed he even had his nose in a book. How many times had he been here before? Not that they seemed really friendly, but Edward and Aro were close to showing buddy-buddy behavior; it was a little too much for my comfort.

With a small swing, I interrupted his peace and quiet by shoving the Striker in his face, setting the barrel on top of the book. It brought his hand down by a few inches, lining the barrel up perfectly with his broad forehead. He barely spared me a glance, but kept his attention on the book, turning a page. The picture of ease. Oddly enough, his indifference just fueled my anger.

"I want some damn answers," I growled. "I'm tired of you vampires lying to me. We're partners, right? We're supposed to work together, and I'm not sure you realize exactly what it means for me to admit it out loud."

"What happened to your dress?" he asked, nonchalant.

In the middle of the floor in a silky heap. "I didn't burn it, if that's what you're asking."

"You should hang it up. You might need to wear it again."

I shook my head. "Don't ignore me. You either tell me what's going on or I will blow your head off."

"You'll lose your protection then," he said.

"I have all the protection I need right here." I almost chambered a round—after all, the sound of a shotgun pump was the most intimidating sound in the world—but that would be a waste of a bullet.

Those gold eyes peered up at me from thick lashes, a small smile crooking his lips. I had a feeling he didn't know I had incendiary ammo; if he did, he wouldn't be so calm.

"You need more than a few guns to help you, Bella," he said with a chuckle. "You need someone who can see a vampire coming, and match them blow-for-blow."

"If there's one thing I know, it's that vampires aren't faster than a bullet. And at this range? You definitely have no chance," I answered darkly.

"Want to try that faith?" he challenged.

If he wasn't smiling like a jackass, I would shoot him. I'd enjoy it, too. But that smile looked a lot like someone about to win a bet.

I pushed the gun closer to his face; if I shot him from this distance, there would be a lot of splatter, but there was no way I'd miss even if he moved. He must have seen the look on my face, one that said I would shoot him, and that made the smile falter. It was my chance to grin, but it wasn't nice. In fact, I felt very evil staring down at him. I was about to load a bullet, just to watch his face turn to fear, but then he wasn't there.

I felt the Striker ripped from my hands; I gave it up without a fight, but that didn't mean I was going down. He was behind me, his body so close to mine I could feel the chill. I struck out with my elbow; he caught it. I turned to face him, and he let me go, so I could complete the motion. It gave me enough time to pull a knife from the wrist sheath. When I saw his surprised eyes, without pausing, I tried to plunge it into his neck. The blade wasn't even an inch away when he caught my hand. I fought him, trying to press forward, as my other hand came up for my gun. He grabbed my wrist, pulling my arm over my head; with a painless twist of my other wrist, the knife clattered onto the tile, and I was being pushed back onto the sofa.

Edward towered over me, holding my hands behind my head on the sofa. I tried to wrestle free, but it was useless. He had me pinned, and there was nothing I could do about it; there were no weak spots available, no way I could twist out of his sure grasp. I would have kicked him, if it wouldn't break my foot.

I scowled at his stupid grin. Why did the Cullens have to painfully demonstrate my weaknesses? Couldn't they just tell me and let it go?

"Are you done?" I spat.

"I think so," he replied cheerfully, "but next time it might be easier to get answers by asking a question."

"Ever wonder how well you'd be able to talk around a gun barrel?"

"Bella, I don't think you're in a position to be making threats. Now that you realize you need me, can we get down to business, or would you like to keep kicking and screaming?"

"I don't _need_ anyone. I can do this on my own," I grouched.

He raised an eyebrow. "I just proved you can't best a vampire, and you think you can navigate this entire underground, avoiding possible attacks, without another vampire? Just admit you need our help, and I'll let you go."

I lowered my voice to a deadly whisper, speaking slowly so he would understand every word. "Over your dead body."

He leaned in close, forcing me to press back against the sofa. It might've been the light, but it looked like his eyes were sparkling with delight. "I think you mean to say under." I gave a short frustrated scream as he moved away with a chuckle, releasing my hands. "You're so stubborn, it's almost ridiculous. We got you down here safely; don't you trust us to get you out?"

I rubbed my wrists and jumped up, grabbing the knife and searching for the Striker. Where did he throw it? "Why would I trust you?" I snarled. "You're a vampire, and you're trying to get me killed! Aro is out to get me, and you let him fuck with my mind. Where were you when that was happening? Not exactly what I call a good protector. You didn't even tell me how a Renfield should act!"

"I thought you might have asked about it earlier, before you even agreed," he said, producing my shotgun from behind his back. I swiped it back, giving him the look he deserved. He didn't look repentant at all as he continued, "You didn't, so we weren't going to bring it up. We wanted your meeting to be candid. If you walked in there like a good little servant, Aro would've lost interest. He's happy Jasper can't tame you."

"L-lost interest?" I sputtered. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"

"You should've thought to ask. But you don't want Aro to lose interest. You want to get close to him, right? He likes that you appear so out of control, and he's positively giddy that he couldn't get into your mind; it means you'll be a tough conquest. I was watching his mind the whole time we were in there. I watched as he imagined exactly what he would do to you; how he would slowly break you, as long as it meant he would find the secret to controlling you. But you 'belong' to Jasper."

I threw the Striker's sling over my head, adjusting it so it fit alongside my hip. Touching it made me feel calmer, or maybe that was because I was finally getting some answers. I kept my eyes on the gun as I asked, "Besides keeping me relatively safe, what does being Jasper's Renfield mean to Aro?"

"It just means he has to try harder. There are certain laws in our world that even Aro respects. Stealing another vampire's servant is punishable by death. He was willing to make an exception for you, Bella," Edward said gravely. "Aro reads every thought you've ever had, but it's more than that. He can plant ideas in your mind like you thought them up yourself. He silently bends you to his will. The law only says that the servant can't be stolen, but if the servant wants to switch masters, it's between those two vampires. Most of his private harem was developed by his workaround."

I sat in one of the plush armchairs. "He made them join him. And he was going to do the same with me."

Edward nodded. "Exactly. If you didn't keep him out, he was literally going to roll you with his power. I have to say, I was really surprised he couldn't break your walls. You have no idea how relieved I am. I thought I was the only one unable to see inside your mind. When I first met you, I thought I was broken. I stayed close while you recovered, waiting for a whisper from your mind even while you talked to Carlisle, but there was nothing. For me, it's just silence, like you're never thinking. Aro works through visualization; memories are pictures, not words. He doesn't hear or see silence; he sees a large steel wall he needs to break through."

I laid my head against the back of the chair and sighed. Aro didn't want to just mind-fuck me, he wanted to possess me. The thought was way too icky for me, so I quickly changed subjects. Whatever Aro wanted from me, I'd deal with it later, when I had the chance to kill him.

"Tell me what happened between Jasper and James in the tunnels," I said with a sigh.

"I'm not sure, he won't tell me. It's just a small rivalry; nothing that concerns either of us," Edward answered as if he was reciting.

"What if James doesn't follow the laws?" If I had to fight James, I wouldn't win. I'd keep thinking of the way he threw Jasper against the wall. Yeah, wouldn't be able to focus on that fight.

Edward easily ignored the question with a shrug. He picked up the book from the floor and gracefully plopped onto the sofa. He set the book beside him, stretching his long legs out in front of him. Every motion was very slow, and it took me a second to realize he was stalling. Why bother? I already knew he wasn't going to answer. Fine, I would ask Jasper later. I changed the subject again.

"Since Aro can read every thought you've ever had—which would have been nice to know _before_," I stressed, "what happened when he read Jasper's mind? The story he gave didn't sound like the truth at all."

"Because it isn't," he said simply. "It takes many years to achieve what Jasper has, but being around Aro so long, apparently, you pick up the talent to stay alive and in his good graces. In a matter of months, Jasper found a way to quickly hide or rewrite memories. On our drive over until the time he touched Aro, Jasper carefully changed his memories. I caught onto it, letting him create our cover story. I thought it was brilliant, thinking completely in pictures and not words. Although Aro is very powerful, he can't weigh pictures for truth like he can words; spoken or otherwise. His puts all his faith in his ability. He doesn't believe anyone can lie through their thoughts."

"So you just . . . lied straight to his face?" I balked, stupidly. Vampires were not just excellent liars, but also excellent lie detectors. How could they lie so bluntly without being called out?

"That's right," Edward grinned. "I wasn't as good at it, so as our mental conversation droned on, I watched Aro's thoughts carefully, steering him towards Carlisle. That's what he was mostly after in my mind. I'm sure he's still debating my newfound curiosity."

"Why is he so interested in Carlisle anyway?"

Edward shrugged, his smile becoming more mysterious. "I'm just a lowly vampire, Bella. I don't have all the answers in the world."

A mind-reader without answers? I bet he was full of useless information. Why wouldn't he know a few important things? But I'd learned from Carlisle if a vampire ignored the question, they would keep ignoring it. You try for a few answers, yet you only end up with a headache. Vampires, ugh.

I pouted in the chair. "Well maybe you should," I huffed. "It would make things so much easier."

"But perhaps I know more than I let on."

"This cloak-and-dagger crap is getting old. Can't you give simple, straight-forward answers?"

"Now where's the fun in that?" He stood, taking the book with him as he went towards the raised den.

I marched after him, still demanding answers, as we stepped up into the cozy room. The walls were lined with books; two chairs identical to the others in the parlor were pushed against the back wall. Out of curiosity, I scanned a shelf with my eyes. Some spines were decorated with different languages, but there were the usual collections of poems and classics. Hmm, a vampire with a book collection? _I smell a cliché._

"Where did all these come from?" I asked, carefully running my fingers across old leather spines. I could still feel the anger boiling just under my skin, but I was surrounded by books, ancient books, that I couldn't help but stare. Maybe genies do exist . . . now where was some sunshine?

"It's a mix of Aro's private collection and most of what Jasper left here," Edward replied. "Maria didn't like how much he read, but Aro insisted he keep the books. Rarely anyone reads down here. I think these books helped Jasper crawl up the ladder faster. They have similar interests and would discuss hundreds of different authors."

I gave him a hard, questioning look. "I thought you said you didn't know Jasper before he joined your coven."

In a blink he moved from the shelf to the step behind me, only a small breeze giving him away. "I've heard a lot of things," he said curtly. Another topic to avoid, huh? Why wasn't Jasper back yet? He seemed to volunteer information. Ignoring a question was just another way to lie.

"You want to know more about Renfields, right?" Edward called from the main room.

I'd like to know _a lot_ of things, but I'd let him keep his secrets for now. I didn't want to shoot him just yet; I knew he and Jasper were the only ones able to protect me—if they wanted to. Eventually I would have Edward cornered, and then he'd have no choice but to tell me. I just had to find a way to talk circles around a vamp. Was it even possible?

I peered through the doorway to see his stoic face. "Yeah, a little more than their background would be nice." And if I started acting like a real Renfield, and if it meant Aro lost interest, fine with me. I didn't need to be close to him to kill him. My guns worked just as fine from a distance, thank you very much.

"Then let's go meet your new friends. It should be more exciting than any monologue I can provide."

I stepped down, running over to him as he started down the hallway. I grabbed his shoulder but couldn't turn him around; he did that for me. "Wait, wait, wait! _Meet?_ Why are we going to meet some Renfields? Can't you just explain it to me?"

His eyes bored down on me with a creepy look, and I didn't even understand it, but suddenly I felt like a deer in the proverbial headlights. "Do you know what the most intoxicating part is about stalking your prey?" he asked softly.

His voice made me shudder, and I immediately stepped back. What got into him? He flashed a dark, almost sadistic grin. My reflexes had me reaching for my gun without a conscious thought, but Edward predicted it; he caught me just like he had earlier.

"The anticipation," he answered. "Watching them wonder when you'll strike. It makes the outcome so much sweeter."

My heart was beating so fast it might have skipped a few. My skin crawled with a cold sweat as I tried to keep the fear off my face. I was steadily losing that fight the longer I focused on his eyes. I knew I shouldn't look, but I couldn't help it. I was entranced, yet scared, with the way they were changing colors, getting darker. I was nearly hyperventilating by the time I realized I wasn't fighting him.

He drew me in by my arm, and still I didn't fight him. My feet moved of their own accord until I was pressed tight against his chest, hands resting on his shoulders. His arms wrapped around my back, securing me to him, before tilting my head up by a short tug on the ends of my hair. His eyes were so black, they were like two onyx stones set in his face; they were terrifying, yet compelling. I watched as they came closer to my face, this time holding my breath.

Edward pressed his nose against my neck with a sharp breath. The quiet moan he gave sent a shiver down my spine; my eyes twisted shut, my fingers digging into his shoulders. "Much, much sweeter," he whispered, lips ghosting over my skin, before drifting away.

I stumbled back, wrapping my arms around my chest, gasping for air. My ability to think straight was back in my possession, and I used it to release a long stream of cursing. Damn it, what was wrong with me? What did he do?

Edward lost the evil face and chuckled as I tried not to turn into a sobbing mess. I had been a second away from trusting a vampire, and then he pulled this. Why did I ever think they could protect me? I had to protect myself from them! It was stupid of me to let my guard down. I should've shot him when he started ignoring questions.

I. Fucking. Hate. Vampires.

Edward wasn't even concerned about me; he was already halfway to the door by the time my legs stopped trembling. He stood at the end of the short hall, waiting. He honestly expected me to go with him after that? I had no idea where he was going to lead me, and I didn't want to find out. He could go alone.

"Don't you want to learn more about Renfields?" he goaded childishly. "I'm not going to wait around forever."

"Fuck you," I hissed.

"You won't impress anyone with that limited vocabulary, Bella. Maybe some time around real Renfields will help you. Come on; it's not going to hurt you."

"I'm not worried about that."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked with soft concern. "It was just a small test. It wasn't supposed to hurt you."

"A _test?_" I screeched. "That wasn't a test! You were trying to control me, or eat me, or something! If you come near me again—"

"They're expecting you, Bella," he interrupted. "You're a new Renfield, as far as they know. You at least need to make a small visit."

"For what?"

He shrugged. "I couldn't say; I've never had a Renfield and I haven't been down here enough to know what they do for their masters. You'll just have to go and see, and try not to kill anyone."

"You'll be the first to get it," I mumbled, starting to close the distance.

"What was that?" he asked playfully.

"Coming, Edward," I replied sweetly, even going so far to fake the smile. He mirrored me with a pleasant smile, holding the door open. I stood in the hall. No way was I going first and giving him my back. Besides, a "good protector" would go first and make sure there was no danger.

He gave in with a sigh and a roll of his eyes, stepping through the doorway. He motioned me out of the room. I considered slamming the door in his face and locking it, maybe set a chair under the handle, but it wouldn't do any good. I followed after him, closing the door behind me. It was going to be a very long day.


	17. Chapter 17

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

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_I have a lot of explaining to do, don't I? Okay, for my non-Twitter-followers, this is my excuse.  
A gypsy tricked me into jumping inside the space-time continuum, claiming it would slow down time in the real world. I thought it would give me plenty of time to write the chapter.  
Turns out two weeks went by and I had no idea; it was only a few days where I was.  
Not buying it? Okay, I'm TERRIBLY SORRY! Real life is the source of all evil, and I had some huge problems with this chapter. But look at it now!_

_I promise this two-week business won't happen again, but I may need to change CV's schedule.  
Getting closer to the end, it's hard to keep track of new relevant information, and things that need explaining from previous chapters._

_Thank you, thank you, thank you so much to my beta, GreatChemistry, for playing with the false start and dragging the real chapter out!! She's amazing, folks!_

_**Quick announcement: **Don't forget that voting for the Indie Twific's begin today (2/20). Show your support for CV by voting it to the next round!  
Also, if you want to keep track of the next chapter's progress, follow me on Twitter (twitter[dot]com/LunarSiren). I post exclusive snippets that never make it to my website ;)_

_Enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review! (Reads as: Tell me what an awful person I am for making you wait!)_

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I tried to burn a hole in the back of Edward's head with my gaze. He was expertly ignoring me with friendly smiles and small conversations with passing humans and vamps in the halls. What the hell? Was I missing something here? Down here, exactly how well off was Edward? I had a feeling it had something to do with him renouncing his place in Carlisle's coven.

It was almost scary to watch Edward in action. By the time he was done with them, they were beaming. Girls walked by giggling like children. Mind-reading sure had its advantages, I guess. Actually, judging by human reactions, I had to wonder if it was classic vampiric thrall. From what I knew, only really old vamps could capture someone with their gaze. Just how old was Edward?

We left the brightly lit, bustling halls to venture toward still, dark waters. If this was where the Renfields worked, why was it so dark? Oh, right. Heightened senses. The further we went, the darker it became. There was barely enough light to help my night vision, so I finally had to suck it up and find a wall to hold onto. I heard Edward chuckle when my hand touched the stone. I was tempted to tell him to shut up, but we weren't talking after what had happened in the room, and I wasn't going to be the first to break the silence.

The stone was smooth under my fingers, and thankfully, without pillars I could trip over. I was lucky this hall was deserted—that I knew of, anyway. I didn't hear any other footsteps besides mine and Edward's, but vampires are sneaky bastards. I couldn't let myself forget that, especially not after what Edward had done in the suite. Just because no one tried to kill me yet didn't mean they weren't going to try sometime. If more vamps like James showed up with old grudges, no doubt they'd try to go through me. If killing a vampire could hurt others connected to it, did the same apply if it was the Renfield who was killed? I didn't even want to think about it. I wasn't _really_ Jasper's Renfield.

A warm glow came from the end of the hall. It was Edward, holding a door open like a gentleman. Gee, nice to know you have some manners. Not.

I let go of the wall, able to see thanks to the light, and brushed past Edward. I crossed through the doorway into the dim, nearly empty room. It was like a smaller antechamber, but still large from what I could see.

Desks lined the walls, some lamps illuminating faces hard at work. It was bare besides the round wooden desk in the center of the room. Edward prodded me forward, and I tried not to slap at his hands. We were in the public eye again. How did a Renfield act around here? He was supposed to be giving me answers, not confusing me further.

We stopped at the round desk where a woman was busily tapping away on a computer. Did they even get an internet connection down here? She was beautiful with a typical model profile; her curly brown hair matched her tan skin, but not her red eyes. She looked up with a friendly smile that quickly became a leer.

"Isn't this the Swan girl?" she asked haughtily. Her voice took points away from her appeal; she sounded like a bitch. "Doesn't she belong to Jasper? Why are you bringing her down here?"

"I brought her down here by Jasper's request," Edward answered stiffly. It was another recited answer. "He hasn't decided if she'll work here, but he wanted her familiar with the facility."

Her eyes turned wide, innocent, as a delicate hand came up to touch her throat. "Oh my, I thought Edward was the great renegade. When did you start listening to orders?" she purred, rising from her chair. She was shorter than me and looked like some kind of Spanish doll, like she was completely harmless. It would be convincing to most people, but I knew better. She could tear steel like paper with those small hands.

"It was a favor, not an order, Nettie. Can't you tell the difference?" he asked with a snide smile.

She grimaced and said something in Spanish; it sounded like an insult or curse. "I don't see how Master could let Carlisle's dog run without a leash. If Master Caius were here, he would not be so lenient. You're lucky he was sent away before you arrived."

Edward chuckled humorlessly and leaned his forearms on the desk, getting close to her. If I were him, I'd use my height to intimidate her, but he seemed to enjoy a personal touch. I saw him work in the halls; if he was going to try to bewitch another vampire, more power to him. But I really didn't want to see what happened when it back fired.

Nettie didn't move, her face still curled with a sneer, but when he looked up at her through his lashes, she moved in, her face softened. Apparently she liked the personal touch.

"You wouldn't let anyone hurt these eyes, would you?" he asked softly.

"Never," she breathed. "They are so vibrant, so exotic. But I wish I could have them for my collection. Oh, they would look so lovely next to James' once sea-green eye." She ran a dark hand against his pale cheek, her thumbnail brushing his lower eyelashes. I had to give him credit, he didn't flinch, didn't blink. She wasn't even talking to me but my insides were crawling. An eye collection? Not the healthiest fetish.

"Before Aro kills me, I'll make sure he leaves you something to harvest. Now how about a tour?"

"You think I want to play with a corpse? I'd rather hear you scream." Nettie bit her lip and gave a small pleasured whimper. "Master would wait to kill you and let me pry one of these golden orbs from your pretty face. He would let me do it, you know." She sighed, running her fingers down over his lips before sitting back in her chair. "But I guess I can let you go . . . for now. Maria's pet would be happy to lend you his services."

There was a flash of light from behind her desk, the darkness rippling like fabric. Oh, there was a curtain separating the room. A man stepped into the light, and at first my eyes scanned right over him, but there was something familiar about that shy smile that made me do a double-take.

"Ben?" I gasped. I ran to him out of habit, before my mind could even begin to process if he was dangerous. I stopped before I got too close. There was no way it was really him. He died. Everyone saw the wreckage; a semi crushed the car, no one could survive that. Unless. . . . "Is it really you?" He did look paler than usual, but that could have been from lack of sun.

When I last saw Ben, he had a baby face with neatly trimmed hair and thick glasses. This Ben was nearly the opposite. He had a mature face, no glasses, and shaggy unkempt hair. Strangely, it was a good look for him.

"I lose the glasses, fill out a little, and suddenly I'm a different person? Your hair is longer. Does that mean you're a different person?" He laughed the same awkward guffaw I was used to. "I'm still me, Bella."

"But you died. The accident—your car was flattened." I stared into his eyes, trying to see the tell-tale red, but his eyes had always been dark, and the room was too gloomy to tell.

"It's a long story," he replied. "Come on, I'll show you around."

He motioned me forward, toward the curtain. I looked over my shoulder to Edward, who was leaning against Nettie's desk. I wanted to ask what he saw in Ben's mind, but he quickly told me to run along like a good little human. I resisted the urge to stomp my foot like a child, or punch him. It wouldn't look good in front of so many eyes if a Renfield punched a vampire, right? That, and I would have a broken hand afterward. Not worth it.

Why did I even bother? Like he would ever give me a few hints about something so simple. With a quiet, frustrated sigh, I followed Ben. If he didn't want to talk, fine. I already knew once Jasper got a tight fist around my emotions again, it would be like nothing ever happened. But I was going to remember Edward broke the silence first.

Entering the new room, I blinked furiously and rubbed my eyes, letting them adjust to the sudden light. When I could see without spots, I took in the bright, busy room. It was like a library, one side full of huge metal bookshelves in neat rows, and the other side full of computers. I tried to glance at some screens as we passed, but most were all in different languages. There was one man at a station, white hair standing on end, staring at a screen with bold text proclaiming, "They're here." He was mumbling to himself as he touched the keyboard, continually typing the words over and over. Ben tugged me along, shaking his head as I followed him.

He led me into the sea of books until we were lost, and before I could ask what was wrong with the man, Ben wrapped me in a hug. His hold was awkward because of the guns, but he managed. He used to be kind of short, particularly compared to Angela's tall, svelte form, but now my head just nearly passed his shoulder. He looked so different, but I guess he finally filled in; at nineteen, it was only right.

I gently pushed him away, marveling at the muscles beneath my palms. This was the same kid that flinched when I playfully punched him? What happened to him?

Ben grinned at me, relief in his eyes. Now that we were in the light, I could see they were the same dark brown. For now. He opened his mouth to speak, but I quickly interrupted.

"What's wrong with that guy?" I asked, nodding toward the computers, even if we couldn't see them.

Ben scratched his neck in a familiar gesture; it was one of the signs he was uncomfortable. "It's a side effect. He had a hard life and a bad master, but we're getting him help," he answered quietly. "He's gotten better; it's just that sometimes he relapses. Nothing to worry about." He smiled again. "But look at you! For a dead girl, you look great."

"Dead?" I asked. What kind of rumors were running around down here?

"It's just a joke, lighten up Bella. When the news broke you fell off that cliff, I thought you were dead. There were rumors you were still alive, but no one knew for sure until you came back to Forks."

I blinked with surprise, my heart picking up pace. "How do you know about that?"

"It's my job to know. I belong to Maria, one of the highest ranking vampires around here. When the other ancients are gone, Maria acts as Aro's second-in-command. I need to know many things to keep my mistress safe."

"When Nettie said 'pet,' she didn't mean bloodwhore, did she?"

"Bloodwhore?" he asked with a confused frown. I shouldn't have been surprised; he wasn't as immersed in the resistance. He didn't believe vampires existed, even when they were knocking our doors. All his attention went into his studies and Angela. I guess his parents didn't use the lingo around him, or he didn't remember.

"Food?" I suggested.

"Oh. No, I'm her Renfield," Ben answered proudly. It wasn't the dreamy sigh Jessica took on when talking about her master, but it was damn close. "She has willing donators for blood. She needs me in top form at all times, so she never bites me. See? No fang marks." He held out his arms with a grin.

I slapped his hands away. "Duh there are no marks; they don't have fangs."

He shook his head. "You were with Edward Cullen, right? It's no wonder. You don't . . . belong to him or anything, right?"

I bit my lip, and watched him raise an eyebrow. I knew his signs, but he also knew mine. I never thought that might be dangerous until now. "No, I belong to Jasper," I replied uneasily. It took more self control than I had to tell him, "I'm his Renfield."

Why did I feel so dirty admitting it out loud?

Ben sighed. "That explains Maria's good mood. Jasper was her favorite fledgling. She talked about him all the time, and told me about his new lifestyle. The Cullens' are different from other vampires, Bella. They're not . . . right. When vampires convert to Carlisle's way of life, something happens to them. It's like they go through a different type of transformation, and they even lose their fangs. I don't know if they willingly pull them out or what, but we call Carlisle and his disciples the Fangless." He paused to give me accusing eyes. "Hold on, how did you get mixed up with the crazy Cullens?"

Crap, what was the cover story? I didn't listen when Edward was blabbering about their brilliant plan, but I remembered something about being attacked. Or was Jasper attacked? Shit. _Change the subject!_

"It's a long story," I paraphrased his earlier words. Playfully slapping his arm, I asked, "What about you? A letter or something would've been nice. Your parents miss you; Angela's still grieving. Why didn't you say something?"

He frowned. "Angela?"

How good were Maria's brainwashing skills? "You remember her, don't you? She was your girlfriend for three years. You have to remember her," I pleaded.

"Yeah, of course I remember her," Ben answered softly. "I've worried about her since I first woke up, but Maria never let me near Forks, especially after a bunch of civilians went missing a few weeks ago. When we lost contact the other day, I was afraid something happened to Angela. She's okay, right? I told them to protect her."

How much did Ben know exactly? He knew I fell, that I was running with the Cullens, and that I was in Forks recently. He said it was his job to know things, yet he seemed completely oblivious to the breakout and the death of the Forks vampiric population. Was this one Renfield withholding information from another? Was this a test? Ben knew I was part of the resistance; he could have told Maria, and she could have ordered him to find out where my loyalty was.

How did Renfields even act around each other? I wanted to tell Ben everything that happened—it was so good to see a coherent friendly face down here—but he mentioned the vampires as if he was one of them. So Renfields considered themselves vampires, or was it only from Maria's power? Whatever Edward thought this would do to help, he was an idiot. I wasn't getting answers about Renfields at all.

"She's fine," I replied softly, "but she misses you. Just get out of here and go back to your parents, to Angela."

Ben groaned miserably, leaning against the books. "It's complicated, Bella. I wish I could go, but I'm—no, all Renfields are only allowed to enter the human world with their master's order. If Maria doesn't want me to go, I won't."

Fisting my hands at my side, I resisted the urge to shake him. "You _are_ human, Ben! You don't belong down here."

Someone came down our aisle and gave us an odd look before placing a book back on its shelf. She informed us that we shouldn't be standing around chatting, but halfway through something clicked, and she quickly dropped the conversation. She opened her mouth again, but I gave her a sharp glare until she nearly ran out of the aisle. Ben shifted nervously, standing upright.

"What was that about?" I asked, trying to push down my anger.

"Some people are uncomfortable around guns," Ben answered, motioning to my very visible weaponry. He was used to it; outside of school hours, I had been armed since I was nine years old. "And everyone down here knows who you are. Just try to ignore the stares. Anyway, let's start that tour. Your Fangless is probably tired of waiting. We shouldn't take too long. I'll show you the essentials."

He started down the long row of shelves, his fingers running over the spines lovingly. "Most of the books you'll find here are histories of certain vampires who wouldn't agree to video or audio recording. I'm sure you could find a few of the Fangless here; I haven't seen their stuff myself, so maybe you can figure out what happens to their fangs. Further on, we have a mixed history of vampires written by humans. All the myths they believe are around there, too. If you're looking for fiction, it's marked in the back of the room."

I followed Ben through the room, not exactly paying attention, but I could hear the love for his job in his voice. I blocked it out as I watched the faces we passed. Some of them looked up before quickly returning to their work; their eyes grew wide and they lost color in their face, as if they had seen a ghost. But I wasn't concerned with them. I wanted to find Jessica and Lauren quickly. Maybe they were less crazy when they were around their masters? Ben was perfectly lucid. It was strange compared to the one-sided conversations I had with Jessica. I'd have to ask Ben if he knew where they were, and why they acted so differently.

Toward the back of the room were windows cut to reveal rooms with several tables. There were four rooms, two of them taken by people with headphones, watching videos on a small TV or listening to a cassette player. We stopped in front of one of the windows, watching as they wrote on the notepads beside them.

"Those are old tapes of vampires sharing their stories," Ben explained. "We've been working tirelessly to translate them, get transcripts. There are a _lot_ of them that are in Latin or some other dead language. We have to figure out what language it is, then find a translator amongst the humans. We'd ask a vampire, but the last couple times we tried, they said this work is below them. Bunch of stuck-up prudes, if you ask me." He chuckled and continued on.

I swallowed thickly. _We_, that's all I heard. He honestly thought he was _one _of them. There was still hope for Ben, he wanted to see Angela, but Maria really did a number on his mind. As long as he was human, I wasn't giving up hope. I could rescue three of my old friends if I hurried. Hopefully Jasper found some time to look for Charlie. Would Ben know anything about the dungeon?

Ben took me through the entire room, pointing out all kinds of different jobs as we passed. This one typed up paperwork for allies; that one worked as an ambassador for Europe, this one filed papers. I knew vamps loved politics, but all the paperwork was a little much. Like any self-respecting vampire would honor a piece of paper. Yeah, right.

At the end of the tour, we ended up in front of the windows. He was ready to send me back to Edward, but that was the last place I wanted to be. I wanted a few more refreshing minutes away from that jerk. I touched Ben's arm, nodding to one of the empty rooms.

"Can we talk a bit longer?" I asked.

He looked out over my head, scanning for something. "That Fangless won't mind?"

"He really doesn't care what I do, and I don't care even if he cares. I'm a big girl."

He grinned. "You really haven't changed a bit. Sure, we can talk."

We entered a room, but the doors didn't have locks, and the windows didn't have shutters. This place was completely exposed. I chose to sit at the table in the back corner, my chair looking towards the glass. I could watch for interruptions this way. Ben sat across from me with a friendly smile. He always was eager to help; that's how he and Angela met. She needed help with homework, and he jumped at the chance. Now I was hoping that helpfulness would get me some answers. It was terrible he was down here acting as Maria's servant. Why were nice guys so gullible to evil ways?

I leaned back in the chair, the Striker comfortable in my lap. I didn't think I was in danger, it was just habit. I had no idea if Ben gained power from his mistress, but I wasn't going to take the chance.

"So how's Forks?" he started. "I haven't been there for what feels like eons. I can't believe it's only been a year. The day I finally had the chance, weeks ago, Maria said it turned into a battlefield. I wanted to see Angela, my parents, even if I had to stay out of sight. Jessica was there recently. She said some people just disappeared, and the same goes for Port Angeles. You were in Forks just the other day. What happened?"

A test, it had to be a test. How would a Renfield answer this question? "I don't really know; I was just passing through with Jasper and Edward."

"But you stayed in the Yorkie's house, right?"

I felt the blood rush from my face. He was toying with me. He kept the friendly smile, but something changed in his voice. I knew the sound of a predator. It wasn't a vampire trick, but it made me grip the Striker tighter.

I struggled to think of a response. I didn't know the proper cover story. "I don't think so," I said, holding my head with my free hand. _Put on an act, maybe he won't notice._ "I think I stayed there once. Weren't you with me then? I think it was Eric's ninth birthday party."

"There were Quileutes' with you."

_Shit, shit, shit! _"Wasn't one of them invited?"

"Bella, don't play dumb," he sighed. "I just want to know what happened. It ruined my plans, took my people. You obviously know something. You always sucked at lying."

I sighed and dropped my hand to pet the shotgun. I had to relax. I panicked when I was put on the spot, and if I had to lie, well, I couldn't blame him for seeing through me. "Yeah, I know something, but I won't tell you."

He frowned. "Why not?"

"Because you'll tell Maria, and it will be used against Jasper." It wasn't exactly a lie, because I knew that much was true. Everything said today would get back to Maria's ears. "He said I couldn't tell anyone, but if you give me some answers, I might know a workaround to some questions. So start talking, like how you got here, and what really happened the night of the accident."

Ben held up his hands in mock surrender; little did he know I was pointing the shotgun at him under the table. "That's fair. I'd like to say I went willingly, but honestly it was a big mistake. My car wasn't exactly flattened, but I did ram into a semi on the highway; I hit him, not the other way around. The front end was trashed, and I think the steering wheel might have broken a rib or two. The airbag failed. The semi didn't notice the damage, and it was one of those rare quiet nights so no one was around to help. I blacked out, and I don't remember much after that, just that I woke up down here and was never allowed to go home again."

"She's keeping you hostage," I deadpanned.

"No, it's not like that. I mean, not anymore. I wouldn't listen to her, so she used to threaten me, manipulate me, and I couldn't take the mind games anymore. I learned it was easier to obey her. I even liked it. She rewards me, and Angela stays safe. Now tell me about Forks."

"Well I'm not sure how our timelines match up, but I'm willing to bet that Maria canceled your trip because we broke out."

His eyes bulged. "Out? You ran? Where?"

"That's classified, but yeah, most of us humans finally got out of Forks. Your parents stayed to watch over things, give us updates. They're fighting because they believe vampires killed you." Which, in a sense, was true.

"Why would they think that?" he asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"You always gave long rants about vamps being myth," I replied. "Remember that day in Port Angeles? You got in a vamp's face and denied his existence; you called him a wanna-be until he snapped that pole like a twig. It was my first kill, but his buddy got away, probably spread the news. Your parents thought the vamps made an example of you. Anyone who defies vampires dies."

Ben sighed. "Right, I forgot about that. God, Bella, I'm so sorry I made you do that. I didn't mean for you to kill him. He wasn't really gonna hurt us; he was grandstanding, proving his ability. I mean, I didn't think it would get me in trouble, but it just seemed impossible that vampires actually existed. Seriously, say it out loud. Blood-sucking demons that run around in the night? It sounded cool in a book, but in real life it was just ridiculous. I don't know how I was so stupid."

"Don't beat yourself up, Ben. I thought Cha—Dad was trying to scare me when he first told me. But it's not like they're human. I don't mind killing them; it keeps everyone else safe. And Jasper stays safe from potential threats," I added, offhand. Truth was, I hated the day I made my first kill. For all the vampires I fought, and the tough act I put on, I only had two kills. And both times I threw up after watching a head explode or blood spray from a neck. That last one gave me a lifelong fear of blood.

"Well what happened after you got out? How did you come back? We had the state line patrolled on every side."

There was another _we._ He wasn't really a vampire, was he? No, he'd have the eyes. Still, I didn't like his terms one bit. I hoped it was only a side effect from Maria. "Classified, but us humans beat the sentries and took out the Port Angeles and Forks vampiric population. _All_ of them," I stressed. "Angela and I were on the front lines, you know, before Jasper showed up. I'm surprised with Angela; she's a real sharp shooter." Okay, so that was a lie, but I hoped it would ruffle his feathers.

He ignored the important part and with surprised eyes sputtered, "H-h-how did you do it?"

"For Jasper's safety, I can't tell you. And he didn't have anything to do with the breakout, just so you know. It's a long, complicated story. Maybe if you were human I'd tell you, but since you're not human anymore, it's none of your damn business."

Ben jumped up and slammed his hands on the table. I tightened my grip on the Striker, flipped the safety off, and prepared to bring it up. His eyes flashed red—_red_. I saw it.

"None of my business?" he yelled. "You intentionally put Angela in danger and wiped out half of our population! Those men were stationed there for a reason."

"Well they did a fine job at watching her," I snapped. "You didn't even know she also got out of the state with us, did you?"

That knocked the air out of him. He sat back down, deflated. "She what?"

"Yup, snuck right out under your nose. If they couldn't do their job, or if they were lying to you, didn't they deserve to die?"

He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly while shaking his head. "They didn't have to die like that, but I wouldn't have gone easy on them either. If they were lying, well, there are severe consequences for lying; they weren't brave enough to try that. But I would probably get rid of them anyway. Maria doesn't appreciate, or reward, slackers. I have to keep Angela safe, Bella. She's the only thing I'm living for; I finally have the strength to protect her. After the flak she got about our relationship, I had to do something, but I was too weak. I'm not weak now. I have a whole army at my back!"

"The only flak Angela got was from her parents," I said. "Everyone at school, even around town, thought you two were adorable."

"Maybe that's what they told you, but it's not what they told me." He waved his hands around his head like swatting at flies. "Anyway, your Fangless is probably getting anxious. I should get you back. You can always come back, you know. Nettie might have work for you."

Ben stood up, and I quickly turned on the safety, letting go of the Striker. I followed him back through the room. Looking around, I wasn't working here if I could help it. Edward had strategically left that option up to me or at least until Jasper sent them a memo to send me to work.

Ben pulled the curtain aside to show the claustrophobic black room. I stepped through, and the curtain fell behind me, Ben on the opposite side. Guess he felt he did his duty, but I wasn't even sure Edward was still in the room. I only spotted him once I was closer to Nettie's desk. They were speaking in hushed tones, and when I was close enough to hear, it all became incoherent babble; they were talking too fast for me to follow.

Edward cut the conversation short and turned to me with a smile. "Did you get the answers you were looking for?" he asked sweetly.

He knew Ben was here. That's why he looked so excited; he wanted to see my reaction. I shook my head, going towards the door. The dark wood was barely visible since it was outside of the lights, but I knew it was on the far wall somewhere. Edward followed, just like I knew he would, as he politely thanked Nettie for me.

He got to the door first and held it open, and I stepped into the obscured hallway. The door slammed shut just as Edward wrapped my arm around his, confidently leading me down the hall. There was a light from another hallway around the corner in the distance, but it still wasn't enough to see comfortably. Why did they make the humans walk through the dark?

"How was your reunion?" Edward asked. "I hope your friend wasn't too different."

"How did you even know Ben was my friend, or that he was here?" I asked, concentrating on the flat floor. I wanted to hiss at him, but I was feeling drained after my talk with Ben.

"It was a split-second find while I was talking to Nettie. Not even Jasper knows Ben is Maria's Renfield or about your relationship."

"It was nice seeing Ben after so long," I replied softly. "I just wish there was a little more of him in there. He seemed normal, but he really believes he's part of this place. He says he has an army to control, and that he has to protect Angela. But from what? If he controls the vampires. . . ."

"From Maria," he answered. "It was a one-sided conversation on my end, but he was within range that I could read his thoughts. He wants to get back to Angela, but he's devoted to Maria through blood and fear. It was one of the tricks she used to control him. If he doesn't listen, Angela will die."

"Maria wouldn't really do that, would she? He's completely loyal to her now."

"I can't tell you. Trying to read Maria is like talking to a brick wall. She's been around Aro too long; she can hide her thoughts too."

"That figures. I know she has to die, but I'm not sure what will happen to Ben when we kill her. Because of him, I almost don't want to kill her," I admitted.

"Not so loud," he warned, "but you know there's no other way. What if he defends her? Would you be able to shoot him?"

I considered it for a short second. He was my friend, I knew his parents and girlfriend very well—I even remembered what he liked on pizza. But he wasn't completely human anymore. Seeing his eyes change like that, it was a warning there wasn't much of the Ben I knew inside. But could I shoot him?

I shook my head. "I don't know," I answered honestly. "Right now I don't want to think about it. I'm here to save as many people as I can, but if they die because of blood ties, I can't help it. I just know that it's my top priority to get Charlie out of here alive, and to kill everyone standing in my way."

We turned the corner, finally back to the bright hallways. Edward let me go once we could see the bustling bodies walking ahead. "Foolproof," he murmured sarcastically.

++-++-++

Jasper was in the sitting area when we returned. He had exchanged his tuxedo for jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He seemed perfectly at home, his bare feet propped up on the table between the two chairs and the sofa. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was asleep, but everyone knew vampires never slept. He came to life with a languid stretch as Edward plopped down on the sofa, and it was then I noticed the large gash across Jasper's cheek.

"What happened to you? Did you find Charlie yet?" I asked, leaning against the back of the sofa. I wasn't sitting; I wanted to go to my room and sleep.

Jasper touched his cheek absently. "No, I haven't had the chance to look for him yet. This is my mistress's welcoming gift. It'll be gone in a few minutes, but each one is a reminder for the days she was without me. And no, you don't want to see the rest."

Nothing about Charlie yet? We had to get him out of here soon. They knew he led the resistance; they wouldn't go easy on them. "She attacked you, didn't she?"

"Bella, I left without telling anyone. She tried to call me back, but when I was blood-oathed to Carlisle, she lost her control."

I moved around the sofa to sit on the far end, away from Edward. My nap could be put off a few seconds for answers. "Blood oath. Didn't Aro mention that? I never heard of it before then. What does it mean?"

"I won't bore you with the gory details, but basically, a vampire pledges loyalty to a new master. The old master loses whatever power they had over their fledgling, and they are bound to their new master through blood," Jasper said. "It happens with alliances; one master will send another a powerful fledgling and let them be blood-oathed as a show of trust and agreement. And before you ask, no, I wasn't blood-oathed into Maria's line again. If it will happen, Aro will do it himself."

"So what Aro meant," interrupted Edward, "was that if I chose to stay here, I would have to permanently relinquish Carlisle's hold and let Aro be my master."

"Speaking of which, why didn't you drink the blood pack?" Jasper asked him. "We were both supposed to come with red eyes."

Edward sighed, kicking off his shoes and also putting them up on the table. "There was a slight change of plans. Carlisle called and said that Aro would be suspicious if I came down with red eyes. He wouldn't buy it because I'm referenced as 'Carlisle's beast' or 'Carlisle's dog.' You heard it, Bella."

I looked over at his distressed face. "Yeah, I was wondering about that," I said.

"I'll explain some other time. Right now, the human needs her rest. You never know when Aro will call on you, but he would never interrupt your sleep."

"What time is it, anyway?"

"One in the afternoon," Jasper answered.

I glanced around the room, but there was no clock the first time I looked around, and there certainly wasn't one now. "How do you know that? Where are all the clocks?"

"I would say it's thanks to this worthless watch I'm wearing"—he pushed up his sleeve to reveal said watch—"but all vampires know where the sun is at all times, no matter where they are. It's just a feeling we get in our bones. You won't find a single clock in the whole underground, but you can use my watch if you want."

No time? That actually sounded kind of nice. "Nah, I'll live. Oh, I have a weird question. You guys don't have fangs, right?" Their faces immediately looked uncomfortable, but they nodded. "But the other vamps do, right? And what's the deal with them not calling you 'vampires' but just referring to you as 'Fangless?'"

"It's a sick nickname Aro gave us," Edward answered with disgust. "Apparently we're not real vampires unless we have fangs, so throughout the underground anyone with a vegetarian lifestyle is called a 'wimpy Fangless.' Not that they would say it to our faces, of course. We are stronger with human blood, but we're far from weak."

"Yes, you might get teased by other Renfields," Jasper added. "You are the Renfield of a former Fangless, that won't get you much respect, but if they give you trouble make sure you mention my name. They'll respect that." He grinned.

"Must be nice to be the big dog on campus," I said, trying to stifle my yawn.

"Only when I'm not being attacked," he replied casually, "but a few death threats always makes things interesting."

I stood and made my way toward my room, throwing over my shoulder, "Sure, but just make sure those death threats end with you. I don't want vampires coming after me."

"It will never happen, Bella," he said. "Oh, while you were gone, I unpacked the rest of the suitcases that Alice gave you. You'll find the armoire and closet much fuller now, and sleepwear is in the second drawer."

I turned back to the sprawled vamps with a glare. "_The rest?_"

Edward smiled. "I told you there were more. You honestly thought Alice would let you enter this place without a good wardrobe? It's nearly semi-formal every day, Bella. You're acting the part very well, so you have to dress the part."

I groaned and went to my room, turning on the light. Throwing the closet door open, sure enough, there were more clothes. It was a short walk-in closet, and in the back was a long gown. Not a dress, a _gown_. A floor-length evening gown. What would I need that for? I cursed Alice for her little fashionista ways. There was no way I was wearing a _gown._

The armoire was where the jeans and T-shirts disappeared to, but I wasn't impressed with the sleepwear. Short nightgowns, tank tops with matching bottoms, cotton hot pants? Where were the sweats? With a growl, I changed into a tank and its pants, and pushed the mound of throw pillows off the bed. I pulled the thick blankets back and fell face-first onto a real bed, and immediately sank. _Heaven. _Yeah, the bed was definitely worth the awful trip.


	18. Chapter 18

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No more is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

++-++-++

_What year is this? I think I lost a few...or gained a few (I swear I saw a gray hair yesterday)... in the process of writing this.  
I'm not even going to bother with awful, awful excuses because the only one I can offer is this:_

_Real life._

_Thank you to my awesome beta, GreatChemistry, for kicking the crap (literally) out of the first draft!_

_Please stick around near the end. There's some important announcements. For now, I'll let you get to reading.  
Enjoy!_

++-++-++_  
_

Two days passed, and there was still no word about Charlie. Every time I asked Jasper, he said he didn't have time or clearance to the dungeons; working for Maria was taking up all his time. I didn't think he was doing it on purpose. For a vampire, he was looking pretty beat up recently.

I thought Edward would pick up the slack, but his method was just as fruitless. He went through most of the underground reading minds, but it was as if Charlie didn't exist. Even with every depressing "no," I refused to think the worst. Aro wouldn't kill him. Charlie was his bargaining chip.

I had yet to find either Jessica or Lauren, despite searching the halls and getting lost numerous times. Edward had found her once, using my description as he hunted minds. He passed her in the hall and said she looked intoxicated, drunk off her ass as she clung to a guard's arm. It was her owner, Demetri. From the way Edward spat his name, it was obvious they had some bad blood between them. Well, at least we had one thing in common.

I hadn't been allowed to do much besides stay in the room—"for security reasons," Jasper said—but he should have known I wouldn't listen. Why would I let the vampires have all the fun? I wanted to find Charlie myself, but if Edward was turning every stone and finding nothing, what could I do? I, begrudgingly, tried to ignore the situation and let the vamps do their part while I went to find the Renfield room.

I tried to retrace my steps to get back to the Renfield room, but I took a wrong turn somewhere and smacked into James and some woman. The hall was kind of dark, but I knew it was him thanks to the shine of blond hair and eye patch. I thought she was just his bloodwhore. Turned out she—Victoria—was his lover, and it wasn't the smartest idea to insult two vampires alone.

I quickly learned that Victoria doesn't appreciate rude humans, and if Edward hadn't been within range, I might have gotten more than a few scratches and bruised neck. I couldn't draw my pistol fast enough—stupid of me to only wear my pistol in the first place. She nearly suffocated me; I was light-headed, my vision was running in streamers of black and white.

Edward didn't appreciate my near-death experience. He called it reckless, idiotic and a few words in a different language that I didn't catch. Ultimately, I was put on lock-down for a day and a half.

So here I was, sprawled on the chaise in my room, pouting and miserable. I'd already tried to read the books in the den, but they were all about philosophy, and that wasn't interesting one bit. There was no TV or computer in the room. Just a lot of empty space for me to wallow.

Why did I let a vamp order me around anyway? He wasn't even here! Edward told me to stay like I was some kind of dog, walked out the door without any indication where he was going, and I hadn't seen him since. Was he out there looking for Charlie again? No, it didn't matter where Edward was. What mattered was that he wasn't here to reinforce my sentence; he wouldn't even know I left unless I got in trouble again. It was a very big possibility, but I was a gambling kind of girl. That's how I got stuck down here to begin with.

I jumped off the chaise and went for the door. I had to get back to the Renfields' room. I didn't really want to go—I didn't want to see the fear on that guy's face again, if he was still in the room—but something Ben said had me curious. Were there videos and books of the Cullens down here? Were they spilling their life stories? If so, I wanted to know more, especially about Carlisle and Edward. They were the two giving me a headache.

I peeked outside the door; the stairwell was empty. What about the hallway beyond? Jasper had said Aro went through once, and that was to go down to his room. He had yet to come out, so he was still down there. I shut the door, going back through the room to grab my shotgun; I was going prepared this time. I left the FAMAS in the bag, but slung the Striker over my shoulder. Between that, the sword, the pistol, and a few knives, I knew I was as protected as I could be.

I left the suite and hurried down the uneven staircase, racing down the hall before Aro could even think to grab me. If he was lurking around, I didn't want to know.

I came out in the main room with its sparkling floor and domed ceiling. Was this where I had gone wrong before? No, Edward had taken me through the pillars on the left, so that's where I went now. I followed the hall until it turned, and then there was the staircase we climbed. I might have gone wrong around here. This hall was wider than others and full of connecting hallways, but I thought it was the fourth on the right. It didn't help that I had been glaring at Edward the whole time we were walking.

Faces passed as I stood in the middle of the hall, debating on which way to try. Most of the bodies pushed past me, arms full of papers and books. Others couldn't help staring. _Yes, I'm Bella Swan! What's it to you? _I wanted to scream at them. Was it just the weapons, or did they know something I didn't?

A broad shoulder hit mine from behind. I stumbled, but he caught me, turning me around while apologizing continuously as he set me upright. Then he got a good look at me. Damn it, not another one.

"Hey, you're that Swan girl," he said cheerfully. Looking up at him, he seemed kind of familiar. It might have been his skin, but all Native Americans have that natural tan, not just Quileute's. He was tall and lanky, but he was broad through the shoulders so it made him look kind of awkward. "I was hoping to run into you. You're looking for your dad, right? Did'ja find him yet?"

I tried to control the surprise on my face as I glanced around; bodies rushed by as if he didn't say anything. I bit my lip, trying to keep my face neutral. I didn't think Charlie's capture was entirely public knowledge, and suddenly someone asks about him? Did someone further up the ladder know Edward was looking? If so, that meant I had to cover up his tracks. Fuck.

"E-excuse me?" I stuttered, relying on some weak acting. Ben might have known about my terrible acting skills, but this guy didn't. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, don't play dumb. I know it's you, and I know what you're looking for. You are the talk of the inner circles right now. I mean, who else walks around with this much firepower?" He reached out to touch my shoulder holster. I immediately stepped back, bumping into someone, but I didn't turn around to apologize.

_No one_ touches the guns.

I turned my surprise into good, old fashioned anger and quickly dropped the acting. "What do you want?" I asked quietly, glaring up at him.

He smiled, but not in an intimidating way. "I want to help you."

"Yeah, not buying that for a second. Who put you up to this? Just tell me what they want."

"As far as I know, nobody is after you. What have you done in the past twenty minutes to ask that question?"

"Never mind," I sighed. Maybe he wasn't in Victoria's vein of information; that was good to know. "Now, honestly, what do you want?"

"I told you, I want to help you. I know you and your Fangless are looking for Charlie, and I have an idea where he is."

Who was this guy exactly? He wasn't a vampire—he didn't have the eyes—but there was definitely something fishy about him. If Edward had searched every mind and declared Charlie nonexistent, how did Smiley know about him? This was obviously some kind of trap, but I'd bite.

"You know where he is?" I asked.

He shook his head and touched his necklace. It was the same symbol I had seen on Jasper's arm back in Forks. "I'm just a dog. I don't know anything outside of my job, but I have an idea where he is. Unfortunately, people like me don't have a voice in court. The vampires do whatever they want, not even caring who they hurt. It's disgusting," he growled. _Growled_, like an animal. "What Aro did was terrible, and I want to fix this. It was a huge mistake."

"Mistake?"

He glanced over his shoulder then pulled me off to the side of the hall. He dropped his voice and answered, "I shouldn't tell you this, but screw it. I'm tired of taking orders. There was a group of vampires on their way to Forks during the time of your attack, but someone tapped into our systems and took over, sending them over to Port Angeles with orders to capture your dad. It wasn't anyone in Seattle, I know that for certain."

"What are you talking about?" An outside source couldn't really control their systems. These vamps were technologically advanced; they knew how to use this stuff. It had to be an inside job.

"We didn't get the intruder out quick enough, and the vampires originally going to Forks changed direction. They went after your dad because of a _mistake_!"

"Who were they really after?" I asked.

"Absolutely no one. The orders were they show up in Forks, scan for any survivors to bring back, and that was it. They weren't supposed to attack or capture anyone."

I shuddered as his words sunk in. _It was all a huge mistake. Someone on their side fucked up. _The restraint I used not to scream showed in my voice as I asked, "How do you know all this? And why should I believe you?"

He shrugged. "You have no reason to believe me, but I know because it's my job. I had to clean up the mess."

I clenched my fists. "So it's your fault he's down here, probably near death in some dank cell!"

He shook his head wildly. "No, no, no!" His voice was dripping with strong assertion. "I didn't start it; I couldn't stop it, but I had to clean it up. That's why I want to help you. Charlie is here for no reason, so I can at least drop a few hints here and there to help, can't I?" He looked out over the hall, and I couldn't help following his gaze. Our quiet conversation was starting to attract a crowd. I really hoped none of them had enhanced hearing. "Listen, I can't stand around here and chat all day. If I were you, I'd check Isolation. They wouldn't keep someone like Charlie in the usual cell."

_Someone like him._ Did he know Charlie personally? "Where is Isolation?" I asked quietly.

"You're here with some Fangless, right? One of them should remember. Everyone has spent time there at some point."

I looked up to his big dark eyes, unable to find anything that seemed like betrayal. He really wanted to fix this. But didn't he say it was Aro's fault Charlie was captured? I couldn't resist asking, "You're not setting me up, are you?"

"I swear I'm not!" he said in a harsh whisper. "I told you, I'm not happy about what Aro did or what happened. I want that vampire dead, just like you do. I _want_ to help you."

I couldn't stop the sarcastic grin from appearing on my face. "You have a lot of nerve, trying to stab your precious vampires in the back."

"I wouldn't call it back-stabbing, but it's good enough. Besides, they don't suspect a dog when things go wrong; they look to the food. When they're intoxicated, they can't keep their mouths shut. I just sit and beg at my mistress's feet." He sighed with a weak chuckle, and the seriousness left his eyes. Apparently our conversation was over with; I knew a mask when I saw one. Even he was tired of dealing with vampires. How long had he been down here?

He moved away from the wall, and I caught his arm before he could leave. I wanted to get his name, but I had a feeling he wouldn't tell me. He said way too much that I could easily get him in trouble if I had been a real Renfield. But, in telling me about Charlie, he was also saying he knew I wasn't truly a Renfield. He could get me in trouble too.

Either I was over-thinking the situation, or this guy was _trying_ to give me a headache. It made me wonder if he was a vampire in disguise.

So instead of a name, I asked for something a little more useful, trying to quell the uneasiness circling my stomach. If this was a trap set for me, I'd have Edward check it out. I finally had a lead on Charlie. "Hey, can you tell me where the Renfield room is? It has all the books and tapes and stuff."

I thought I was making no sense, but he knew exactly what I was talking about. "Oh, you mean the Athenaeum? From here, it's the third hall on the right. Follow that hall, take another left, and you're there. Anyway, I've got work to do, so I'll see you around, Bella."

I released his arm, and he continued down the hall as if our conversation never happened. I ignored questioning eyes as I followed Smiley's directions, and in no time, I was in the dark, deserted hallway.

The door was just as impossible to find by myself, but I finally found it. After running face-first into the smooth wood, of course. Pulling the door open, it was a little brighter in the room; more people working today out here. Nettie wasn't at her desk, which made me wonder where she could be lurking. I almost hoped it was her lunch break, but that meant some poor human was getting munched on. Still, I hoped I wouldn't run into her.

Fighting with the curtain led to much cursing from me and a few giggles from the room. With the help of a disembodied voice, I found the split and stepped through, shielding my eyes from the bright other half of the room. When I opened my eyes, I saw the room was mostly empty compared to earlier, when Ben showed me around. Speaking of Ben, I didn't see him anywhere.

Walking through the rows of bookshelves, I wondered how they sorted their collection. At first it seemed to go by language, but then I started to find others mixed in with English titles. Did the computers have a catalogue? It might have been smarter to check, but I kept searching through the shelves until I found a C, and carefully followed the line. When I found the Cullen books, I was supplied with a whole list; except one was missing. I figured Edward came by and stole Carlisle's book, keeping more answers from me.

Seeing the thick book labeled Rosalie Lillian Hale Cullen, I pulled it from the shelf. I still wondered about Rosalie's anti-human comment. It seemed a little odd that the rest of Carlisle's coven was tame compared to Rosalie. Maybe it was related to her human life?

I thought it might be like a diary, but instead I was met with a standard biography. She was born in New York way back in 1915, had a normal childhood, nice family, and good friends. She was engaged to a banker's son, Royce King II, before she was turned into a vampire. The book supplied a quote at the beginning of each new chapter. One quote caught my eye.

"I don't see my creator as my killer. Royce took care of that long before a vampire caught me. I'm just glad to be alive now; I'm making the most of the life provided for me. I thank her every day for saving me."

_Her?_ But Carlisle was Rosalie's master. I saw his power over her in action; then again, Carlisle bragged about never tasting human blood. I almost continued reading, but I wanted to know more about peppy little Alice. Rosalie's answers could wait for another day.

Mary Alice Brandon Cullen had a thinner book. There wasn't much information of her human life; she was born in 1901, she could name her family members, but that was all. Where Rosalie had several chapters dedicated to her childhood, Alice had none. Her parents placed her in an asylum when she was little because she claimed to have visions.

I flipped through the pages until I found a chapter titled "Vampire Life." She was stolen from the asylum by a vampire and taken to Volterra, Italy, the Volturi's original location. She was kept as a human slave until a few years later when James turned her, against her will, into a vampire. When James and Alice were on their way to the Seattle location, she escaped. There was a quote at the beginning of the next chapter.

"I saw visions of a man with golden eyes, and I knew he was important. Sometimes he looked lonely and upset, and other times he was happy and composed. Through my visions I saw his way of life, how he hunted animals; it was almost the same as feeding on humans. I used my talent to find him and steer clear of James' attempt to call me back. When he tried, I found wildlife to prey off of, and gave myself to the thrill of the hunt. I thought of nothing but food, blind and deaf to whatever trick he pulled. Eventually, he gave up."

It went on to explain how she met Carlisle, and then got back into the Volturi's lair. The book declared she went back to kill James, but found Jasper and "put her plans on hold." At least I finally got an explanation to her freak-out in Portland when I declared Carlisle killed her. Judging from the book, Carlisle saved her. It was her visions of him that kept her from becoming one of these vamps.

I set the book back on the shelf and was about to pull another, when I spotted a wall of tapes. I left the books, intrigued with the idea of seeing the Cullens from years before. I scanned the cases, and once again there was a line of Cullens, but no Carlisle. There was no way they had the entire coven except the master. I wondered why Edward was stealing everything about Carlisle. How bad would it be for me to know?

I grabbed a VHS labeled Ed.A.M Cullen from the shelf and went to the back rooms, finding one completely empty. I wasn't sure if there was some kind of protocol to using the room, but no one had stopped me yet.

Wireless headphones lay on the table, so I turned on the wall-mounted TV and slipped the tape into the VCR. It started up with some static—they had flat screen TVs and computers, but couldn't afford some DVDs?—but it smoothed away to reveal Edward's stoic face. He had startling red eyes, and it looked like he hadn't showered for days. I sat at the table and put the headphones on just before he opened his mouth.

"My name is Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, I was turned in 1918, and Carlisle Cullen is my master," he said with a hint of malice. "I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois until the Spanish Influenza hit, and then I was snatched away from my dying parents by a monster masquerading as a doctor. I was content to die human, but then _this _happened. I tried to kill myself as this abomination, but Carlisle said nothing would work. And I tried everything from self-mutilation, to asphyxiation, to jumping from incredible heights. I finally had the answer—fire—but Carlisle stopped me with a pathetic plea for company. I stayed with him only to stop his whining. In 1928, he finally understood how unhappy I was and let me go, let me out of his demented lifestyle. Then I realized all the fun I could have."

"So what did you do?" asked someone off camera. The interviewer had a thick accent, and I wondered if this was recorded in Italy.

Edward reclined on the stiff chair with an evil smile. I shuddered from the sight of it. "I killed. I terrorized the northeast as only a true monster could. I thought Carlisle might change his mind, find me and beg me for companionship again, but I never heard a word from him. I was his first fledgling; he saw me as a failure.

"It didn't bother me at all that he ignored me. I was building an empire and legacy while he pretended to care about humans. I thought what he was doing was sickening. Saving humans? Feeding on animals? He was a lunatic—still is. It's repulsive."

"Tell me about your legacy," the voice prompted.

"Do you know the story of the incubus, a demon that feeds on sexual energy? I started those myths in America. They spread quickly, leaving housewives quivering in their aprons with fear and lust. I liked a little spice with my food; I played with them. From the beginning, when I had enough control over my bloodlust, I noticed women were naturally drawn to me. So I seduced them fully. It was so easy, and the rush I got was unbelievable. You have never fed until you fucked someone to death." He chuckled cruelly.

"And your empire?"

"I went back to Chicago and started making a name for myself. By 1934 I ran the city. I had a penthouse, whores, fledglings, and all the money in the world. I was content; I was complete."

There was a bit of silence. "That's very impressive for a sixteen year old vampire," the interviewer said. "How did you ever find the strength to do all that?"

Edward shrugged, starting to look bored with the interview, as if it was below him. "I guess it came from my master," he replied. "Carlisle was always patient and disciplined. When you think of it like that, owning a city at sixteen isn't so surprising. I had the ambition, and I had ideas the public was interested in. Minds are amazing things." He tapped his temple, like we needed a reminder about his power.

"And how did you lose this empire?"

Edward sat up, getting angry again. "Carlisle had visited the Volturi and gained some insight to controlling fledglings. He came to Chicago around 1940 and made me destroy my life. He watched happily as he ordered me to kill my fledglings, release the women, and burn everything I owned. He would have made me step into the flames if I didn't agree to go with him back to Seattle. He needed me for some demented plan, and he was building a coven, an army, to make sure it happened."

A throat cleared beside me, and I jumped out of the chair, the headphones clattering to the floor, as I turned off the TV. Edward was half-sitting on the table, his arms crossed over his chest. His black eyes gave me a hard, angry glare. Oh, he was _not_ happy I went poking through his past. I almost felt the need to explain myself, but I wasn't sorry. Edward knew I wanted answers, he should have known I'd find some way to get them. And damn, did I get some. It reminded me that even if Edward acted like a gentleman, he was capable of being a sadistic killer worse than any normal vampire. He was no better than the vamps under Aro's control.

"I thought I told you to stay in the room," he said sternly. "It's very hard to track you down when I can't read your mind."

I took a deep breath and slowly released it, calming my racing pulse. I hated that I let him sneak up on me. "Next time I'll leave a note, if you promise to wear a bell," I snapped. Maybe the lame joke would help ease the tension?

Not even a twitch of his lips.

I bit my lip briefly. "How long have you been there?"

"A matter of seconds, but long enough." He picked up the VHS case, eyeing the label. "I see you're taking advantage of all these resources."

I ejected the tape and he let me have the case so I could put it away. My voice was almost nonchalant as I replied. "I found some interesting stuff, too. Rosalie was a New Yorker, Alice was put in a nuthouse . . . oh yeah, and you are some kind of sadistic bastard that feeds on sex."

He sighed, the anger dispelled. Now he just looked tired. He tugged at his hair as he answered, "Bella, I don't know who that is. It was recorded in 1943! I was young and arrogant, still upset about my losses. I exaggerated most of the details. What Carlisle did—forcing me to destroy everything—was a lesson long overdue. I don't hate him for it. I know now I needed to be stopped."

"You really think I'm going to believe that?" I snapped.

"It's the truth."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure it is. And which one is the real you? This docile monster, or the rapist?"

Edward flinched as if I slapped him. He pushed off the table and towered over me in a flash. I nearly stepped back from the raw hatred in his black eyes, but I was stronger than that. I clenched the tape to resist pulling my gun and matched his glare.

"Yes, I started the incubus myth in America. Because of the endorphin rush, I could go days without feeding; it was like drinking raw sex," he said in a dark whisper. It caused me to shiver, and not in a good way. "It was addicting and awful of me to kill all those women the way I did. But I never—_never_—resorted to rape."

"They didn't know what they were getting into," I argued. "You forced them."

"They came to me out of lust and intrigue. I warned them of the outcome, but they didn't care."

I had to step back, shaking my head. "That's disgusting!"

He sighed heavily, the rage going with it. He sounded tired but adamant as he continued, "No, it's atrocious. I had no remorse back then. I only warned them because it scared them; the way their blood pounded made them more desirable. But now . . . now every face, every name, every last fearful gasp or scream haunts me. I was a monster, completely out of control . . . yet that's not me anymore, Bella," he said harshly.

I glanced at his eyes and saw him vulnerable, years of pain reflected right on his face. I wasn't sympathizing with a vampire. He seduced innocent women into giving up their lives just so he could get a fuck and a fix. How psychotic could one vamp get?

"Whatever," I muttered. I didn't want to hear anymore. The subject had to change, and fast. "What have you been munching on recently to turn your eyes black?"

Edward groaned and ran a hand through his hair, causing it to nearly stand on end. "You're still angry. Why? I told you the truth. You _know_ that isn't me." He gestured to the tape in my hands. "You were the one who couldn't sit still, who couldn't leave the past alone. All vampires—no, _everyone_; all humans and vampires—have something they're not proud of. Don't hold this against me. I didn't tell you to come here and watch this."

I poked his chest with the tape, standing on tip-toe to get in his face, but trying not to look into his eyes. I wasn't in the mood for another mind-fucking, especially now that I understood his charm. "Maybe if you would just give me some answers, I wouldn't have to resort to this!"

His jaw flexed again, and he snatched the tape. "You think I _want_ to spread this? Not even my family knows the full details of my past. If I thought they couldn't handle this, why would I tell you?"

"Why do you care so much what I think of you?" I challenged.

That got him. He frowned, clearly confused, and stepped back, closing his eyes. It took him a few seconds before he answered. "I don't know," he said softly. "I just don't want you to think of me as that creature. Because of him, his actions and his thoughts, I swore off human blood. I'm different; I know better now. I am not him."

The unspoken words hung thickly in the air. _I'm scared of becoming that monster again._

He was afraid of who had been; he wanted someone to tell him it was okay, that he was strong enough to control himself. God, it was as obvious as Fork's weather, and I completely ignored it.

I wasn't sure what Edward felt he had to prove to me, but it sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. I stepped back, the air around us becoming uncomfortable, stifling. If he was going to break down, I was leaving. I'd had enough of emotional crashes to last a lifetime; I had no idea how to deal with a vampire's emotions.

"So why are your eyes black?" I asked, desperately trying to change the subject once again. I was almost suffocating on the awkward atmosphere. I really wanted to ask about Carlisle's army and why he would need one, but I doubted Edward would answer it.

"I haven't fed for a while," he answered quietly, opening his eyes. "When we fast, our eyes get dark no matter what our diet is. It relates to how much blood we have in our system. The brighter your eyes, the more recently you've fed."

"Why don't you go eat?"

"Aro isn't transporting animals down here. I'd have to go to the surface, outside of Seattle's boundaries to hunt, which means you would be unprotected." He held up his hand to stop my protests before I could even think them. "Yes, you have your guns and Jasper, if he can find you in time, but I know how you like to cause trouble."

He wasn't going to let that go, was he? I crossed my arms over my chest, my fingers discreetly touching my pistol for comfort. "I can take care of myself," I huffed. "It was one time. I got here by myself, not a scratch on me. Just let it go."

The metaphorical rain cloud disappeared, and Edward smiled crookedly, shaking his head in exasperation. "You are truly something else, Bella Swan. Come on, we need to get back to the suite. We have preparations to make."

_Preparations?_ After the bomb he dropped on me, my mind was running a bit slow. It took me a second to actually comprehend his words. "You found Charlie?" I asked, nearly screaming with excitement. "We're finally getting out of here?"

"No," he answered with that crooked grin, "we're going to dinner."

++-++-++

_First things first: THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me over at the Indie Twific Awards.  
Voting closed the other day, and whoever made it will be posted tomorrow (Sunday)._

_**THIS is IMPORTANT!**  
_

_Do you have any questions for me regarding Cauchemar Vivant? It may be something that's bothered you from the very beginning, or maybe something recently. Not understanding how this vampiric process works? Want a longer history of these Renfields? Then have I got a deal for you!_

_Since we're nearing the end of Cauchemar Vivant, I want to make sure that I covered every base, hit every little detail so far. There are not that many chapters left, so I figured I would come to you, my lovely readers, for any information you want answered!_  
_Also, it'd be nice to have a small FAQ, right? ;)_

_If you have a question (or questions), then please do the following:_  
_Send your questions to_

_cauchemarvivant(at)hotmail(dot)com  
_

_Thank you to everyone! There is no deadline (as of right now), so think hard and submit those questions whenever you want! -Alice_


	19. Chapter 19a

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

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_Back from the dead! I'm so sorry this took so long, but I've returned with a huge peace offering.  
Chapter 19 - 30 pages long - 2 parts in one night.  
Do you love me again? Ha ha!_

_This is all plot. We're finally going to see some answers for once, and I really hope you don't get lost.  
I've done this chapter over and over again to make sure it was very clear. Now for the warning:_

_**WARNING! **These are vampires, and they will talk circles around you. This chapter might cause super heart fail.  
Those with weak hearts, this chapter is not for you._

_I offer that warning for a very good reason. Please remember this is AU!  
And before you send the hate mail, let the characters have a chance to explain themselves!  
I swear, it's not as bad as it looks._

_**Cauchemar Vivant is nominated!  
**Yes, nominated again over at the Faithful Shipper Awards for best AU.  
Voting ends tomorrow (April 17), so get on over there and show your support for CV!  
http://thefaithfulshipperawards[dot]webs[dot]com_

_HUUUUUUGE thanks to my beta and wifey, GreatChemistry, for cleaning this mess up like no one else.  
And huge thanks to my two Twisis (Twisis', Twisises?) todream and PemberlyRose.  
They unknowingly kicked my butt to get this finished. Love all of you! 3_

_Enjoy, and don't forget to review. I'm looking forward to all the reactions!_

++-++-++_  
_

When Edward said dinner, I should have been suspicious. From what I gathered, all humans had set schedules for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; they usually revolved around their vampire, so the vampire would have the richest blood possible after a hard days work. Only the best for the vamps, after all. Not that I could tell time in this place, but it didn't seem like it was time for dinner yet. Entering the suite, I undeniably knew something was up. There was an unknown vampire sitting and laughing with Jasper.

My hand went for my gun on instinct. He knew we were here—Edward slammed the door, as if to announce our arrival—but he seemed more interested in his conversation with Jasper than wondering if someone would shoot him in the back. Edward didn't let me draw my pistol. He anticipated my movement, catching my left hand, and leading me into the room. This wasn't the first time he had caught me before I could complete the motion. If I was this predictable, was that a sign I pulled my gun too much?

I fought against his grip, but he didn't let me go. I already got the hint; don't shoot the guest. My skin crawled with our contact, but not in way I was used to. Before Edward's little "test," I'd feel infected. Now, it was a different sensation. The kind that made me quiver and feel tingly at the same time. I did not like it one bit. Edward led me forward, only letting me go when we stood behind the sofa where the unknown vamp sat.

Jasper looked up at Edward, cutting his sentence short. The other vamp followed his gaze, turning in his seat. His red eyes sparkled with laughter, and there was a big smile on his face from the conversation. For once, I could see the elongated fangs that the Cullens were missing. Yeah, I _really_ wanted to pull my pistol now.

The vamp stood, stepping around the sofa to stand in front of me. Probably just to make me feel small. He was built like a warrior, but instead of overwhelming muscles, he was incredibly tall; my neck didn't hurt this much from looking up at Sam. His platinum blond hair was pulled back to give the illusion it was cut short, but I saw the long braid swishing along his back. He held out his hand for a shake.

"Can I introduce myself before you shoot me?" he asked cheerfully. "My name is Peter. I'm Jasper's friend."

I stared at Peter's hand as if it were a snake ready to strike. What did _friend_ even mean in the vampire world anyway? I crossed my arms tightly under my chest, my fingers grazing the cold pistol. He dropped his hand, looking a little awkward.

What did I say? I was still acting like a Renfield, so I had to treat him with a little respect, right? Well, I already messed up if I was going for the Renfield approach. Ugh, I was getting tired of these stupid games. It wasn't good to meet him, and it definitely wasn't a pleasure. Until I figured out exactly what kind of friend he was, I would treat him like the others vampires. I'd think of him as a threat, but I'd treat him politely.

I dropped my arms to my sides and answered with—what I hoped sounded polite—a normal hello. "Nice to meet you," I said, yet it sounded more like I was choking on the words.

Peter's smile grew. "The act is unnecessary. I know about the plan; Jasper told me already." He glanced over his shoulder to Jasper. "I'm willing to help however I can. You _are_ the reason I'm back in this nightmare, after all."

Great. Apparently in the vampire world _friend _meant, 'Go ahead and tell everyone the truth.' I tried to be angry that yet another vampire knew more than me, but at the first spark of anger, I felt a heady rush of lethargy. It was strong enough to knock me off balance. Edward was there to catch my arm, keeping me upright until the room stopped spinning. I shook him off, mustering up a weak glare to give to Jasper. He didn't even blink.

With a frustrated sigh I asked, "So why is Blondie here? A distraction before dinner?"

Peter held a hand to his chest, gaping at his friend in shock. I swear if he said anything about wounding, I was going to _give_ him a wound. After my crazy day, the dramatics were not welcome.

He opened his mouth, but Jasper must have caught the spike in my emotions. He quickly interrupted. "Peter is here as an escort. Edward, did you tell her?"

I glanced at Edward. Tell me what?

"No way," he answered. "I wasn't taking the chance without your help. She'd kill me," he chuckled.

"I'm surrounded by cowards," Peter sighed. Turning to me, he continued, "Bella, I am your escort tonight because Aro requested you and Edward eat with him. He's looking forward to talking with you."

Jasper had shut off all emotions so I could only look between the three vampires, completely indifferent. Were they expecting an outburst? If anything, I'd laugh. This was the chance I'd been waiting for—I could get close to Aro and put a stake through his heart. Or blow his head off. Yeah, I liked that one. Was I scared to do it? Was I afraid to sit down with a vampire as old as time and pretend to be civil? If I was, I didn't feel it.

Maybe Jasper's power wasn't half bad.

I went for my room without a word, leaving the vampires to stand in silence. The further I got from Jasper, the more I felt like myself. Was he slowly backing off or was there a range limit to his power?

"This is a formal event, Bella," Jasper called. "That means no jeans."

"So?" I snapped, my hand on the doorknob. I wanted to whine. I knew _exactly_ what he was going to say. There was a reason that gown was in the closet.

"Make yourself presentable, please. As my Renfield, your attitude reflects on me. You can show a little respect toward Aro."

I slammed the door, groaning as I leaned against it. I didn't want to wear another dress, especially one that could get tangled around my feet. Knowing Edward wouldn't let me leave the suite in my holster made it worse. I had to wear the thigh band with that long skirt or go without. Gee, wonder what the answer was to that question?

I went to the closet and pulled out the gown, throwing it across the bed, trying not to look at it. Stripping out of the rig, I set it beside the gown before moving toward the bathroom. Hopefully there was enough time for a shower; it might relax me enough to successfully go through with this. I doubted I'd ever get the feel of this place off my skin, but showers had a magical way of curing almost anything.

After my quick shower, I used the blow-dryer on my hair until it lay flat. Inside, I was silently giggling with glee that I wouldn't be made-up this time around. No styling, no make-up, and no jewelry. I wouldn't miss it, but I had to give Alice a little credit. She made a tomboy feel pretty for once.

Thankfully the room was still empty when I opened the bathroom door. I thought someone would have something to say by now. Namely, Edward. We ignored the conversation in the Athenaeum on the way back to the suite, but it had to be grating on him that I could tell anyone.

Shaking all thoughts of Edward aside, I pulled what I needed from the armoire and slipped the thigh holster on, leaving it empty for now, before struggling into the gown. I tried to step into it, but I quickly found out the top was a corset, which had trouble getting over my hips. The boning made a bra pointless. It even had laces, but not like other corsets; the back was open, with only some laces holding the top on at all. Either way, I couldn't tie them myself.

When I finally had it on, I adjusted the bodice, feeling way too uncomfortable with how well this thing pushed everything up. It fit snuggly down to my hips, and I wondered if it would fit at all after I was tied in. I knew corsets were supposed to crush a girl, but I had to wonder if Alice got the wrong size.

I carefully went to the floor-length mirror in the bathroom. The hem dragged on the floor, and I knew it was no accident. Alice demanded high heels. What did she see happening tonight? From the first day down here, I wanted to call her and ask what was going on in her stupid vampiric mind to pack these types of clothes. It'd be nice if we got a cell signal down here. I really wanted to call Sam, not only to hear a familiar voice, but to get an update on the human world. It felt like years had passed already. Actually, time _was _different for vampires. Maybe years really had passed on the surface.

I quickly pushed that chilling thought aside and took in the full affect of the gown. It had enough fabric in the back that I knew it would have a small train, even with heels. The gown was one color, a deep, almost navy, blue. The bodice was satin that quickly turned into a beaded design; they were silver, breaking up the gown so it wasn't boring. The skirt was obviously chiffon—reminding me of calmer days in Jacksonville with sun, tank tops, and skirts—and I had to admit I liked the feel of the gauzy material touching my legs. It brought back good memories. I just wondered if it would show the outline of my gun.

There were no slits in the skirt, which I liked and didn't like. Without them, it would take longer to get to my holster; with them, I'd keep worrying someone could see the holster as I walked. But at least the material wasn't too heavy. I could easily push it up and draw the pistol. At least Alice kept that in mind.

I walked back into the room, going for the door. I called for Jasper to come help me with the laces, but surprise, surprise, Edward volunteered. When he stepped into the hallway, I almost did a double-take. He strode purposefully down the hall in a sharp black tuxedo complete with long coattails swishing behind him. His hair was still wild, but this time it was actually styled. He didn't look half bad . . . for a vampire, anyway.

I kept the door partially closed, leaving just enough space to glare at him. "I asked for Jasper," I said. "I'm pretty sure he's taller than you and has blond hair."

"Let him visit with Peter a little longer, Bella," he replied, placing his hand on the door. "It's been years since they last saw each other, and they didn't part on good terms."

"I don't care. They can swap war stories later. Tell Jasper to come here."

He shook his head and pushed on the door gently. "Just let me in. We need to talk."

Oh, so we were doing this now. It made no sense to me since Jasper was right down the hall, able to hear every word. But I knew he wouldn't leave. Stupid stubborn Cullens.

I stepped aside and let Edward into the room. He closed the door behind him. He wanted to get serious, or personal, or—God forbid—both. I didn't want to have _another_ heart-to-heart with a vampire, especially after what I learned about him. I really, really didn't. Just being alone with him now bothered me. Not because he was a vampire, but mostly because his past made me uncomfortable. I didn't care if he wasn't like that monster anymore. He still had the drive in him and could pull it up whenever he wanted. Maybe I was just afraid he would try to kill me with that monster? I'd rather be drained dry by a real vampire than to be seduced by an incubus.

"Turn around," Edward instructed. "I'll tie it for you."

I sighed and did as he said, pulling my hair aside so he could see what he was doing. The laces had to go through little loops on the sides of the gaping back that started just above my butt and ended underneath my shoulder blades, so I was prepared to feel his cold fingers on my lower back. I wasn't, however, prepared for the finger that traced down my spine.

I yelped, ready to spin around and find someway to hurt him, but he placed his hands on my shoulders, holding me in place. Not like I could really hurt him, but damn it, that was uncalled for.

"Sorry," he mumbled, sounding way too distracted as he threaded the laces. "It was an accident."

My heart was still flip-flopping inside my chest and my hands started to shake. Damn it, why was I acting this way? The discomfort hung around, but I managed a hard scoff. "That was the farthest thing from an accident."

He quickly changed subjects. "Listen, Bella, about what you found in the archives—"

There it was. I had been waiting for this and already had my reply. "Why should I keep it to myself?" I interrupted. "You said your family didn't know. Why not? You know about their pasts, right? That doesn't seem very fair. Besides, this is the perfect opportunity to blackmail you. Get Charlie out of here, and I'll consider not saying anything."

"You don't blackmail someone like that, Bella. Besides, you wouldn't blackmail me," he stated confidently.

"And why not?"

He gave a sharp tug, tightening the corset to make me gasp; the pressure quickly dissolved so I could take a deep breath. I wondered bitterly if that was another 'accident.'

"Because that's not who you are," he answered. "Keep your hard front as long as you want, but I know underneath there's a scared girl. That girl would never resort to blackmail. It's cruel, and that's one thing you are not."

There was another tug, and I felt him tie the laces, officially done with his work. He stepped back, but I didn't turn around. He thought I wasn't cruel? Who did he think he was talking to? I was very dangerous! If I wanted to, I could destroy him. The Striker was more than enough to blow his head off.

Except he was right, I wasn't cruel.

I almost opened my mouth for a reply, but it was useless. Instead, I ignored him. Stepping around him, I went for the closet on the far wall to find a decent pair of shoes. Inside the closet, the shoe rack was empty, but against one wall, I found several neat stacks of shoeboxes. I didn't feel like searching through every one. Would anyone care if I went barefoot?

"No snappy comeback?" Edward asked, still standing in the middle of the room.

"You don't deserve one," I replied, opening a box to find teal stilettos. No, they would look ridiculous.

"What a shame," he chuckled.

That patronizing chuckle did it. I threw the box down before stomping back to the doorway. He stood with a small grin on his face, obviously baiting me. "Fine. You win, okay? At first I was uncomfortable with it, but oh, news flash! You are a vampire. I don't give a damn about your past. You killed people in a number of disturbing ways—who cares? You were disgusting before I knew, and you still are. And you know what else? You're right. I'm not cruel, but I'm still capable of holding my own against your kind, so don't make me have to kill you too. I will. Your attitude is wearing on my nerves."

His smile turned into a scowl. "My attitude? What about yours? I've been trying to help you, yet you throw it all back in my face. It's grating on _my_ nerves. If anyone deserves killing rights here, it's me."

Now was a bad time to notice my pistol was on the bed. I knew I should have put it in the holster.

"We both know I don't need a gun to kill you," he said, watching my gaze shift between him and the weapon. "You don't need it to defend yourself either. I'm not going to kill you. It would be counterproductive to the reason I'm here." He sighed heavily, shrugging his shoulders as if to relax. "Anyway, let's not fight anymore. Vampires might not be able to sleep, but we still get exhausted. Especially when bickering about pointless topics with stubborn women. What's done is done, and that's the end of it."

_The end? _I gripped the door frame until my knuckles cramped, my teeth digging into my bottom lip. Why was he changing tracks so suddenly? We were supposed to be arguing, not making up! I didn't want to make up yet!

Edward smiled again, rubbing his hands together. "So, Peter is wondering what's taking so long. Better finish up before he comes knocking on the door. We're already two minutes late, and around here, even a second late is a bad thing."

I went back into the closet, once again questioning my sanity.

By the time I dug through the boxes and found a good pair of heels—it had come down to silver or a type of gray the box dubbed 'gunmetal'—there was a brisk knock on the door. I could hear Peter pacing nervously just outside. Apparently he was done with Jasper and was anxious to get the show on the road.

I pulled the gunmetal sandals from their box, simply because of the name. Maybe fashion and I could get along for once. Edward still stood in the middle of the room with that eerie vampiric stillness, only his eyes moving, following me. He was obviously waiting to see if I would agree to the no arguing thing.

I sat on the bed, the corset making itself apparent. Never in my life had I sat up so straight. It made bending to slip the shoes on difficult. What was the boning made of, steel?

Fuck it, I groaned. "A little help here?"

Edward inhaled sharply, shaking himself as if he was some kind of bird, ruffling its feathers. "Help? Bella Swan?" he asked with a joking lilt. "Are you ill?"

"Your outfit isn't suffocating you," I replied, "so you either help me, or I go barefoot. I don't mind."

He knelt in front of me without another word, taking one shoe from the bed and lifting the proper foot. My skin crawled with the contact in that awful way as his cold hands wrapped around my ankle. I wanted to pull away, but that would be childish of me. I had asked for his help. I held my breath as he secured the buckle around my ankle, then moved onto the other foot, repeating the process.

When he finished, he stood and dusted off his pants before offering me his hand. The heels weren't that high, but as I stalled for time, sitting on the bed mindlessly smoothing the material of the skirt, my fingers brushed against the holster. That's when my nerves kicked in.

Edward must have heard the difference in my heart rate. He looked ready to touch me; he even came closer, hand lifted, but thought better of it. I stared at his hand, now clenched in a tight fist by his side. "Bella?" he prodded gently.

"Is this really a good idea?" I asked gently.

"Has any of this been a good idea?" he countered.

"Good point," I muttered, fisting my hands in the gauzy material. "But what if he tries to poison me or something?"

Edward knelt again and slowly stretched his hand toward me. I watched that hand come closer to mine, but I didn't move. When he saw I wouldn't recoil, he touched my hands, gently prying them away from the skirt before I could wrinkle it. He was right in my line of sight, and once again, I had trouble looking away from his black eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to you, Bella," he whispered. It was so quiet, if I didn't see his lips moving, I wouldn't have believed I heard it. "I'll protect you. You just have to let me."

What was this, a teen romance novel?

Still, I sat there and let him hold my hands. The chill was starting to get to me, but I didn't say anything. The pleading in his eyes was visible. Was he afraid something would go wrong tonight? Well, so was I. I was still trying to hide the fears and doubts. Having dinner with the ancient vampire in charge of my town's awful condition? Yeah, great opportunity, but fucking scary all the same. I couldn't shake the picture of Aro literally having me for dinner. I shuddered.

Edward brought my hands to his mouth, lightly kissing my fingers. Another chill ran up my arm, causing goose bumps. "Truce?"

We were supposed to be partners coming down here. We were supposed to work together to get Charlie and kill Aro. Where did that truce go? Was it even still in affect? I shook my head quickly, clearing the thoughts. If he was asking for a new one, obviously the other truce ran out. Edward continued to wait for an answer, his eyes begging.

I didn't want to agree, but I was well and truly scared. I could admit that much to myself. Private time with Aro—this could either help us or hurt us. I had a feeling I'd mess up in their word games. Alice said it was all politics down here, not brute force. I'd managed to slip by Aro once, not to mention a few other vampires and some Renfields. Tonight would test my lying ability, and I had to count on Edward to cover our tracks. Could I really trust him? Well, I wasn't dead yet. If he was going to kill me—or let me get killed—he would have done it by now. He had the perfect opportunity when I'd found James, but Edward came charging down the hall like a valiant knight.

Okay. I can do this.

Breaking out of my reverie, I finally nodded. "Truce," I said thickly.

Edward smiled brightly and stood, pulling me with him. "Thank you," he said. "For cooperating, I mean. It's a huge surprise that you even agreed to dinner so easily, but this must have really tried your self-control."

"Yeah, well, what can I say? I'm full of surprises, Cullen," I replied.

He laughed loudly as he led us to the door. Was it just him, or was every vampire capable of jumping conversations and emotions so easily? It once again had me questioning what was truth about Edward, but I guess being scared and depressed wasn't the best way to go to a dinner party. I was actually glad for the uplifted atmosphere.

Peter sat with Jasper in the main room, but both immediately stood when Edward and I entered. Jasper let out a low whistle and did that thing I'd only read about in romance novels: his eyes started at my feet and gradually climbed up my body. I felt my face heating up.

"You look absolutely stunning," said Jasper. "Alice seems to have the ability to create a masterpiece even when she's not around."

Edward scoffed. "This isn't Alice's doing, Jasper. It's simply Bella."

Jasper gave Edward a look I didn't understand, and the air turned slightly stale. There was obviously a conversation going on in that awkward silence.

I hung on Edward's arm, fumbling again with the skirt. "I feel like I'm going to prom," I mumbled. Not that I'd actually been—I was missing my senior year, the year I wanted to attend, by escaping vampires—but it had to be this awkward, right? Like when you don't actually know the guy. If I ever got the chance to attend prom, I really hoped it wouldn't feel like this. Or be with a vampire. God, what would Charlie say?

Edward seemed to snap to attention with a smile. "Well at least your date is a handsome devil," he chuckled. I resisted the urge to slap him and settled for a glare.

"In that case, make sure you have her back by eleven sharp, Edward," Jasper said with mock severity, trying to control his laughter. "Fully dressed is preferred, but I know how crazy you kids can get. A few beers and you turn into animals."

There were masculine chuckles all around the room. My blushing wasn't getting any better, thanks to a bunch of insensitive vampires. I wrangled free of Edward and started down the hall, calling over my shoulder, "I'm going to eat now. If you want to stand around sharing jokes at my expense, feel free. I just don't want to hear them."

Edward and Peter were suddenly at the door, the blond vamp holding it for me. I hated vampiric speed; it reminded me that I really had no chance against these things. _Must be nice to have that kind of speed,_ I thought bitterly. Edward held out his hand for mine, but this time I ignored him. I could walk, damn it.

Peter led us down the staircase, continuing around the corner that I thought had been just a wall, but no, it was the rest of the odd steps leading down. When I was told Aro was beneath us, I didn't think they meant directly underneath. How good was a vamp's hearing exactly? Could they hear through stone?

I struggled with the uneven stairs in the gown and heels, and after my fourth stumble, I finally grabbed onto Edward. I held the stupid skirt in one hand and clung to him with the other. He was patient as I hobbled down, but the stairs seemed never ending, and we didn't get very far until I broke the silence. Like always.

"So why did Aro invite us for dinner?" I asked, concentrating on my feet.

"Truthfully," replied Peter, just a few steps ahead, "he's desperate."

"Desperate?"

"Very desperate. I don't know his entire reasoning, but his mouth has been running recently. He thinks no one listens to him, but there are a few who hang on his every word. To put it bluntly, Aro is infatuated with you, Bella."

I missed a step, and suddenly I was grateful to have Edward there. He caught me around the waist, not even the slightest off balance, and set me on my feet on the next step. I was still staring at the back of Peter's head. It took me a second to remember how to move.

"Infatuated?" I whispered hoarsely. "Infatuated as in . . . love?"

"He loves the promise you hold," Edward explained.

"You've fought against Aro's power—literally shut him out—and now he can't get enough of your mind," Peter said. "He wants to know what makes you tick; he thinks it might help when trying to break down your wall. I honestly doubt it. What you did—a rejection that large and natural—there's no way around it. He was talking to me before I was sent to fetch you; actually it was more like rambling. He's distraught. He wants to appear more human for you, and was expressing curiosity about human food. Try not to gawk if he eats tonight. I suspect he'll ask you personal questions, maybe one or two about Jasper. You can pass the conversation off to Edward then."

"Yeah, about that. Is there a reason Edward is coming along, but not Jasper?" I asked.

"Jasper is busy tonight," Edward explained. "Aro really only wanted you for dinner, but he thought you would be more comfortable with one of us around. Don't worry about anything, Bella. I'll take care of you."

"Exactly," Peter said. "Let Edward do the talking."

"And how would I go about doing that? Because I already know Aro mostly wants to talk to me. How would I pass the conversation over?" I asked. If it meant I could skip conversation with Aro, I'd do the Chicken Dance.

"Just. . . ." Peter paused on a step, considering. He glanced at Edward, and this time I could hear the mental conversation.

"Aro's not stupid; you don't live for millennia by being stupid," I continued, exasperated. "He'll figure out I'm avoiding topics if you keep jumping in. He wants to talk to me, right? Edward's just coming along as flair."

"Basically," Peter nodded.

"How about a code word?" Edward suggested. "It's practical, and if not abused, he won't notice." I agreed, but since when did vampires think practically? "It has to be something that sounds natural in conversation, yet something you rarely say."

"Mighty," I replied instantly. "I've never used it unless I was teasing Mike; he hated the word."

"Mighty it is," Edward said.

Peter continued down the stairs, Edward and I following. The further we went, the sicker I felt. How many times had I wished to take back my decision to come down here? A million? Make that a million and a one. As the end came in sight, I was taking bets with myself that the number would keep climbing tonight.

Stepping off the stairs, we stood in a long hallway ending with an ancient wooden door. This was it. We were entering Aro's personal domain. I took a deep breath, steeling my nerves.

Peter knocked on the door but didn't bother to wait for a reply; he opened the door, holding it to let me and Edward through.

The air I'd slowly been releasing was knocked out of me. This place was . . . colossal. I felt like a kid again, standing underneath the shadowed ceiling. It was bigger than the first one I saw—the room guarded by the portrait. And it was as if stepping back into the 1700s; it was a gothic palace. This was just the foyer. I couldn't imagine the rest of it.

The foyer seemed to be two rooms combined; entrance and sitting room. It was in the shape of an octagon, complete with pillars connecting the walls. Floor-length candelabras sat against the walls, small flames barely lighting the room. A large palladian-style window was on the far wall and stained-glass windows lined the others. With no light to shine through, it was hard to tell exactly what the pictures were. It took a few seconds of careful staring to figure out they were macabre pictures of women and evil-looking creatures; they matched the murals in our suite. I stopped trying to make sense of it and focused on not tripping on the hem of the gown.

Peter took us off to the right of the room, through a round doorway; this room looked a little friendlier. It was dark, but thousands of white candles set the room dancing with shadows. The wall—from what I could see between the hundreds of picture frames hanging—was wallpapered red, the floor a rich wood; it was decorated with two overstuffed chairs and matching loveseat.

Peter saw that we were comfortably seated before returning to the doorway. "Aro will meet you here," he said. His voice wasn't as warm as it had been, but I noticed he wasn't as formal as the others. I hadn't heard a single 'master' out of him, although he had red eyes. "For now, he requests that you relax. Dinner will begin shortly."

He gave Edward a meaningful look before producing two hidden doors from the wall, closing us in behind them. As soon as they clicked, I stood to pace. My heels clacked loudly against the wood, but I liked it. The room was too quiet; it was stifling.

As I paced, I tried to think of any questions Aro might ask. He wanted to know more about me, so he'd probably start with my childhood. I had to have some rehearsed answers that were safe. Getting into trouble with a few measly vampires was one thing, but getting into trouble with the creator of vampires was something else entirely. I could at least try to behave.

My hand brushed against the holster without thinking and felt . . . nothing. My heart dropped into my stomach as I groped my thigh. Where was my pistol? Where the fuck did I leave it? I pulled up the skirt, just to make sure the material wasn't playing a trick on me, and found it really wasn't there.

_Shit, shit, shit._

"Bella?" Edward's voice came from behind me, closer than it should've been. I jumped, dropping the skirt. "Any particular reason you're trying to undress? I know I'm attractive but—"

I grabbed his hand and placed it over the holster. His eyes went wide, but I had a feeling we weren't feeling the same shock. Hell, I was a step away from reaching panic attack territory.

"It's missing," I mouthed slowly. I wasn't sure where Aro was, and I wasn't taking the chance of him overhearing my defense was gone.

Edward's hand slid up to cup my hip, pulling me into him. He had an easy-going smirk on his face, and it was that look that almost made me fight to put distance between us. But he was the one with mind-reading abilities. He would know where Aro was hiding.

"I thought you intentionally left it in the room," he breathed close to my ear. Goose bumps broke out across my arms at the husky quality of his voice. I shook my head quickly, and we were so close that my hair slapped against his face. I only had to struggle a little before he released me, letting me take a step back. How could we make this sound like a trivial conversation?

I almost wished Edward could read my mind right about now.

"You said we were going to be late," I said. We weren't talking about a weapon; nope, not at all. "I was hoping you'd remind me."

He raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "It really doesn't matter, does it?" he asked, still grinning. "You're here with a handsome date, and I can be plenty distracting. You'll forget all about it."

I rolled my eyes. Not exactly the response I was looking for, stupid vampire. What I really hoped to hear was, "Sure, let's go back and get it. Oh, and why not pick up the FAMAS while we're there? Aro won't mind." Reality sucks.

I shoved his chest, and he made a show of stumbling backwards, masterfully flipping his body over the loveseat, and landed without hurting it. I giggled at his antics.

Wait. I did what?

I quickly distracted myself by staring at the portraits on the walls, scared of my own reaction. Most of the pictures were black and white stills of Seattle in a different time; I recognized Smith Tower in many of them. Others were scenery from what I guessed was Italy; we didn't have a clock tower like that in Seattle. Hundreds of tiny pictures or random things—butterflies, telephone poles, busy streets, trees, and fields just to name a few—were smashed together until the wallpaper barely peeked out from behind them. They all made room for one giant piece of art. It was twice as wide as others and in the most ornate frame; I think it was real gold.

It looked like a scene from Greek mythology. The bottom was painted in dull blacks, grays, and browns; it was a mess of people violently reaching up to four figures on a balcony. On the balcony was where the color began; popping reds, blues—every color of the rainbow combined. The four men, angelic and regal in appearance, looked on, utterly bored. I touched the gilded frame, leaning closer, noticing something a little odd about the blond man further from the three grouped together.

"Is that Carlisle?" I gasped. I glanced over my shoulder to see Edward, but he didn't turn around.

"It was a gift from Aro," he replied. "He had it painted after Carlisle left the Volturi. Aro thought it might entice Carlisle, remind him of the good old days."

"Doesn't seem very good," I mumbled, staring at the death and destruction under the angelic men. Was it symbolic or just random? "But wait, if it belongs to Carlisle, why is it down here?"

The doors swung open before he could reply. I thought it was Aro and quickly drew back from the wall. I turned to find . . . Jessica? I blinked in astonishment, wondering if she was real. She was dressed in a tight, black halter dress; her curly hair straightened and piled on her head. She wasn't staying for dinner, was she? I approached her slowly. I thought she might have been a figment of my imagination. The shadows could be playing with my eyes; she was just standing there, as still as the wall behind me.

When I was just a few steps away, Jessica stumbled through the door and released a giggle I knew too well. Mike and Jess used to get into his parents wine stash, and then I'd receive a call at two in the morning asking me to pick her up from his house. I almost smiled at her—she looked like she was doing okay, despite a few new scars—until I remembered something very important as she fell into my chest. A drunken Jess is a handsy Jess.

"Bella!" she squealed with delight. Her arms wrapped my waist as she nuzzled my breasts. She was always kind of short, and the heels I wore compared to her flats made her the perfect height.

I patted her head awkwardly. "Hey Jess. I haven't seen you in ages," I said. "How have you been?"

"_Sooo_ good," she slurred. "But what are you doing down here?"

"Um . . . just . . . seeing the sights?"

"Oh, I know what you mean! When I first came down here, I was like, 'What is all this?' But Demetri said not to worry. So I didn't." She sighed and rubbed her cheek against my dress. "God, I missed your boobs. They're so much bigger than mine. _So_ big. Oh my god, hey! Do you remember when we kissed?" She giggled, still rubbing against me like a cat.

Gee, thanks for bringing up uncomfortable memories, Jess, and in front of Edward. Speaking of Edward, I looked over my shoulder to see him relaxed on the loveseat, his head tilted in curiosity. I could only imagine what he was seeing in Jess' head. _It was a stupid game of truth-or-dare_.

"You were so red! And you smelled so good—kinda like right now." Jess stood on tip-toe to reach my neck where she inhaled sharply. Her voice was a sultry whisper as she asked, "Why do you always smell so good?"

My palms actually started to sweat from nerves, but there was definitely something wrong. This wasn't Jessica's normal drunken behavior. I grabbed her arms, still locked around my waist, and tried to push her off. I couldn't budge her grip. The bodice struggled to stay up as her hands tightened around me with inhuman strength, crushing my ribs against hers. I gasped from the sudden pressure as her lips pressed to my neck.

Before I could think to call for him, Edward grabbed Jessica by the neck, breaking her hold effortlessly. He dragged her away from me, pushing her against a wall of frames. She struggled, kicking and clawing at his hands, as pictures clattered to the floor. As she fought, I saw the reason was acting differently. Her eyes were red fire focused directly on me.

Jessica finally became one of them.

She continued clawing at Edward's hands until he was bloody, her face turning into something ugly with rage. "Let me go!" she wailed. "I want her! Master said you brought her here for me!"

Edward changed his grip, bringing her back to his chest with an arm around her waist, pinning her arms, and controlling her head with a hand in her hair, dislodging the nice up-do. It would give his arms time to heal, but the fabric of his sleeves was shredded. She roared with her rage, redoubling her efforts to break free, but Edward had her secured.

One side of me was struggling with this new information. I didn't want to believe my childhood friend was dead, completely claimed by the vampires. No, I really didn't want to believe loud-mouthed, gossiping, hilarious Jessica Stanley was dead. I could feel tears welling, and I blinked them away furiously. Another part of me was mentally cursing myself for forgetting my gun. She was a vampire; she wasn't the same girl I grew up with. She was dead.

I clung to that side, pushing the emotional one away. I'd deal with it later; I would deal with it all much later. I tried to move, tried to think of a way to help Edward, but I was frozen. Edward had it under control, though. He wrestled Je—the newborn towards the door.

A different vamp appeared in the doorway. He wore a long black robe similar to the one I had seen when I first met Aro, but the hood was down, showing a very cat-like face for a man. He stormed into the room, tearing the newborn from Edward's grasp. She immediately calmed down. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded hotly. "I told you not to touch my property, filthy Fangless."

Edward stood straight, adjusting his tuxedo. Without the tears, I'd never guess a fight had taken place; he looked completely normal. Despite the sleeves, the tux barely had a wrinkle, but he still smoothed everything down. I couldn't tell if it was to avoid answering the question or a nervous habit. I thought it was nerves; kind of like Carlisle.

"She attacked Bella first, Demetri," Edward said. "I didn't mean any harm, just to restrain her. Master Aro wouldn't appreciate blood spray on his prized possessions, now would he, Dima?"

So this was Demetri. I'd never met him personally, but I'd heard plenty about him from . . . Jess. He wasn't what I was expecting. He was scrawny compared to the image I'd had; his short brown hair was slicked back, almost like a duck tail. But his eyes were exactly what I imagined; cold, hateful, and red. The newborn whimpered and snuggled against his chest. He stroked her head absently, like a pet.

Demetri growled. "You lost the right to use that name, _Eddie_. You'll only embarrass yourself in front of your whore."

"I could say the same for you," Edward replied with nonchalance.

Peter materialized in the doorway, towering over Demetri menacingly. Just in time. A staring contest took place, but I guess Peter won, because Demetri stepped back, taking the newborn with him.

Peter turned his attention to me. "Plans have changed," he said. "Aro is waiting for you in the dining room. If you'll follow me, please." Demetri went ahead of us without looking back. Peter barely contained the curiosity on his face, but Edward shook his head. At least I wasn't the only one confused.

Edward came to me and offered me his elbow. I wanted to refuse, but I needed help moving. I felt sick, not to mention a little nauseated. I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow, following Peter as we reentered the large room.

Peter took us through an arched walkway on the opposite side of the octagon room, where we came out in the smaller, round dining room. A spider-like brass chandelier took up the ceiling, lighting the room exceptionally well. The room itself looked bare and unfinished; the floor was sandstone and the walls were the same cinderblock that made up the rest of the fortress. I liked the parlor better.

In the middle of the room was a round, ancient table big enough for a family of six. It was set for three. I'd been hoping Aro had a table like in movies; long and wide, with little personal interaction. No, it seemed I was surrounded by vampires who enjoyed a more personal touch.

Aro stood next to the table. He was dressed in a black vest and white Oxford shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It looked completely out of place with the leather pants he wore; they were tighter than the other pair, as if he was poured into them. Why would an old vampire like Aro like wearing leather pants? It was just . . . odd, not to mention a little creepy. His long black curls were pulled back to reveal the sharp lines of his face, and he looked surprisingly younger than before. His red eyes were remarkably bright tonight.

He smiled that polite, empty smile and made a sweeping motion with his arms, taking in the whole room. "Welcome! Welcome, friends, to my humble abode," he said with a loud, theatrical voice. He came closer as he continued, "Did you make it here all right? I sent one of my best warriors to fetch you, after all." He patted Peter's shoulder, standing three heads shorter than the other vamp. "And yet it seems you failed me. What happened to Edward's handsome tuxedo?"

"Just a little scuffle," Edward replied.

"I'd never harm a hair on their heads," Peter assured Aro.

Aro went to Demetri, staring intently at the newborn. "It was her, am I right? Dima, you must get better control over your fledglings, otherwise she'll be put down like the rest. Understood, _mio anatra?_"

Demetri nodded glumly. Aro smiled. "Very good. Now, I believe our business is done for now. I always enjoy our conversations. Be off with you, and take your darling girl and Peter with you. Jane and Alec will take care of us. Go on, shoo!" Aro waved his hands at his subjects, and they obediently left. The sound of the door closing echoed through the silent chamber.

I hated ominous sounds like that.

++-++-++

_Translation: Dima - proper Russian nickname for Demetri (can also be Dimka)  
mio anatra - my duck_


	20. Chapter 19b

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

++-++-++**  
**

The air was thick with an awkward silence. Aro kept his odd smile as he moved back to the table. He tugged on the tablecloth and straightened the silverware, picking imaginary lint from the surface. They were all infinitesimal adjustments to minute details. He looked nervous. No, anxious was a better match. His actions were absolutely fussy.

"I told them to make the room spotless, but I find the help will often cut corners," Aro said. "I apologize for making you wait. It's been quite a long time since I had company. I forgot just how nerve-wrecking it is to be a host. Come, have a seat."

Aro motioned to the table, and Edward led me forward. Two sets of hands reached for what I guessed would be my chair. Aro stepped back with an abashed smile, letting Edward get my chair. It was weird being treated like an actual girl; I never had a guy pull out my chair. When I was seated—the corset making me sit up so straight was extremely uncomfortable—Aro and Edward took the other chairs. The table was big enough that we weren't crowded, so why did I feel like I was sandwiched between them?

Jane and Alec—dressed impeccably in a dress and suit, respectively—entered the room with old fashioned goblets, setting them on the table in front of us. Was there any way to check for poison without seeming obvious? Just because there was none in the food or drink didn't mean they wouldn't try the utensils.

"What would you like to drink, Isabella?" Aro asked, staring at me with eager red eyes. "Wine, brandy, ale? We have soda as well."

Alcohol? Even if I did normally drink, that'd be the last thing I wanted right now. I'd like to keep my inhibitions, thanks. "Water is fine," I replied, watching him carefully. Would my request upset him? He only smiled.

"Very well," he said. "I'll have my usual. Edward, what about you?"

Edward answered without hesitation. "Water."

Aro frowned. "Are you sure you wouldn't like something stronger? I picked a nice one today. 1963—very good year, and it's still warm."

Edward showed no reaction, but I had a feeling they were talking about blood. "Water, please," he told Alec.

Aro pursed his lips. Sweet, I wasn't the one to piss him off first!

The room was silent as the twins disappeared to fetch drinks. What was Aro thinking right now? Was he anxious to start questioning me? I purposely kept my eyes away from him, looking around the bland room instead.

"Amazing, isn't it?" piped Aro, making me jump. "This area was once part of the old Seattle, but you know all about the Great Fire, correct? In the 1800s, twenty-five city blocks burned down thanks to a clumsy cabinetmaker. They built the city back up, but higher, better. This area used to be part of the original underground tour; it's much too low now, due to natural causes. The original entrance has disappeared. Yet it does not change our position. Right now, we are directly under the Space Needle."

Under the Space Needle? We were in the heart of Seattle, hidden away in the earth. I hadn't been to the Space Needle in a long time, but it was really the only place that felt normal after the vampires took control; tourists were a blessing in disguise. Most of Seattle was quiet, but the vamps could never shut the tourists up. Big areas for tourism were the only loud parts left in the city.

Sitting under all that noise, I realized just how blind we had been. Before the Cullens, I thought vampires only existed in our area, but I never imagined how many. After staying down here, people on the surface had no idea what they were missing. Vampires could claw their way out of the earth all over Seattle. How massive was this underground network exactly?

Alec and Jane returned. Alec had a dark bottle that looked like it should've held wine. He set it on the table before he turned to Jane, who held two tall glass water bottles. He took one to Edward's side of the table while Jane made a show of opening mine. I knew it was to show me it was a new bottle; nothing nefarious going on here. When the bottle was drained into the goblet, she went to Aro and picked up the dark bottle. The cork came out with a pop, and I tried not to look so close at the thick, red liquid pouring into his goblet. The air suddenly smelled tinny.

Alec stood straight, speaking up with a small, polite smile. "Tonight's appetizer is a fresh garden salad with your choice of dressing. The main dish is cannelloni tre sapori." He motioned to me. "What would you like on your salad?"

Why did I suddenly want to eat at Denny's? "U-um," I stuttered, "Italian?"

"A fine choice. Edward?"

"It doesn't matter," he replied curtly.

"Very well. Master?"

"French, please," Aro said.

Alec nodded and left again, Jane right behind him. My gaze danced between the remaining vamps. Why was Edward acting like this? He seemed normal in the parlor, yet now he was closed off; I got nothing from his face. I was told time and time again to be respectful—I was even making an effort here. He should have to follow the rules too. It didn't take long for the twins to return with the salads. A sparkling white and gold bowl was placed in front of me.

One thing I noticed was that the table wasn't set with hundreds of different utensils; there was a fork, a spoon, and two knives. It was nice to know I didn't need a crash course in fine dining.

As I placed a napkin over my lap, my hand brushed against the empty holster. Most of my confidence came from my weaponry, but so far I was doing okay. The real test laid in the upcoming interrogation. If I could do it without screwing up what I knew of the cover story, I could do anything. Right?

I looked over to Edward to see he was poking at his salad with his fork. I wanted to ask if it was safe to eat—in all honesty, the salad looked delicious—but I couldn't exactly ask out loud. He gave me a faint nod, so I picked up the fork. I figured if I took it in the wrong sense, he'd find a way to stop me.

My first bite was very small, but Edward didn't make any motion. The salad was as good as it looked; the lettuce was crisp, the tomatoes and cucumbers were juicy, and the cheese was fresh. Curiously, I glanced at Aro. Was Peter right? Would he try human food? He also got a salad, but I had always heard vampires didn't eat; they didn't have a digestive system. Guess Aro didn't get that memo. He was eating his salad with no problem, unlike Edward. He still had yet to take a bite.

Aro took a short swallow from his goblet before breaking the silence. "So Edward, tell me, how is your family doing? The last I heard, they were in Strasbourg. Are they still in France?"

He was starting with Edward? I thought I would be on the chopping block first. My heart slowed with relief.

Edward sat straight, staring into his bowl. "I'm not sure where they are now. It's been a while since I've talked to them."

"A pity," Aro said with a frown. "But surely you spoke with Carlisle recently. How is he? Your mind didn't give me many answers about him."

"He's still bitter, but every day is a little better. I figure it'll be another hundred years before he fully recovers from the betrayal."

Aro chuckled. "Is that how he sees it? That man is ridiculous. It wasn't betrayal, just simple politics."

Betrayal? Sounded like Carlisle and Aro had a bad experience somewhere along the way. I thought Carlisle said they were friends?

Aro turned to me with his empty smile. I struggled to remember my answers under the weight of his gaze. "It seems Edward is being anti-social today," he said with a pleasant chuckle. "Why don't you tell me more about yourself? I want to know what Jasper sees in you."

"Uh, well, there's really nothing special about me. I went to school, made friends, and fought vampires on the side," I started. "I'm just your average modern girl."

"Nonsense! There is more to you than the eye can see. That is the nice thing about us vampires; we do not believe our eyes." He reached across the short space of the table to grab my hand. His skin was cold, but it was nothing compared to the skeletal hands clawing at the back of my skull. It was the same feeling from our first encounter. "Tell Uncle Aro your secrets."

Uncle? This vamp was delusional if he thought I'd call him that. No fucking way. I fought to get my hand free, my head pounding from the pressure of his power.

"I grew up in Forks with my dad," I said, gritting my teeth against the pain. "I had a normal childhood. Piano lessons, ballet—anything, really."

He realized I was having trouble speaking through the pain and released me. I hid my gasp with a slow, deep breath, shooting Edward a murderous glare over the table. I took a small sip from my goblet; the cold water was soothing.

"Tell me about Forks," Aro encouraged.

Now that I could think again, I fell back on my original plan. Play naïve and hoped he didn't look too closely at my acting skills. I'd gotten lucky so far, but this was an ancient vampire. He created lying.

"What would you like to know?" I asked politely, my voice barely shaking with the fear I felt.

"What is it like? Bustling with energy like Seattle? I've never been there personally, but I want to go sometime soon."

"Forks is very green . . . and wet. It's not like Seattle at all. It's quiet."

He huffed, finishing the rest of his salad. "Perhaps it's best I stay away then. I am tired of silence. I love little Seattle; such a busy place in the middle of nowhere! And the rain—it's as if it never stops!"

"You've been to the surface, Master Aro?" Edward asked, surprised.

"Of course, all the time," he scoffed, as if it was completely ridiculous Edward would think otherwise. "It is very different from Volterra. There is little rainfall throughout the year; it would only continuously rain during certain months. Here, it almost never stops, no matter the month. I like to walk through Seattle while it's raining; everything looks and smells different. Although the rain has given to snow recently, I still enjoy that too. I like to watch it pile up before being crushed underfoot. I even played with some children in their snowball war. I lost," he announced proudly.

I choked on my mouthful and reached for the goblet, guzzling half the water. Picturing Aro playing with innocent kids was not what I needed; it seemed impossible. They obviously had no idea what they were doing. Didn't they get weird vibes from him? He didn't exactly blend in with the human public. He looked too much like a demented Botticelli angel; a painting gone wrong.

"Are you all right, Isabella?" Aro asked. I hated the concern on his face; it looked real.

I took a deep breath and sipped the water. Yeah, all better. I smiled and nodded at Aro, trying not to cough up a lung. Edward drew the attention back to himself, taking charge of the conversation. I happily let him have it.

"What made you decide to come to the States?" he asked curiously. "Surely Marcus wasn't thrilled with the move."

A hand reached for the empty bowl in front of me, and I jumped. Alec and Jane had returned, silent as ever, to deliver the main course. The bowl was replaced with a large plate covered in melted cheese. I tried to resist poking it, wondering what was underneath.

Aro waited until the twins left and then continued the conversation. "That man is never happy about anything," he said, picking up his knife. "He called it nonsense, but I was determined to see the New World. He just didn't want to leave Didyme's burial grounds. However, Sulpicia—that's my wife," he said, smiling at me, "she wanted to leave Italy as well. Of course, I couldn't just leave my kingdom; that would have created turmoil. I spent months making arrangements, and then I received an invitation. At that time, it was more like an olive branch, so I greedily snatched it up. You-know-who wanted me to see his new found empire. It was the perfect excuse to leave my city, and I could never ignore an old friend. That would be rude." Aro chuckled, taking a bite of the canne—whatever it was. Edward didn't look too happy, though. He was downright glaring.

I pretended to listen, not actually caring about Aro's personal history, as I popped a piece of the mess of cheese in my mouth. It was an explosion of flavor. It was ground chicken, eggplant, and mushrooms wrapped in noodles. For being dead, these vampires really knew how to cook. I glanced across the table to see Edward still hadn't touched his food. At least he wasn't trying to pretend, but he didn't have to look so irritable. I could practically see steam coming from his ears.

At least one of us was having a nice time. It was the most uncomfortable position I'd ever been in—having dinner with a vampire—but surprisingly, I didn't mind. Besides the quick attempt to get into my head, Aro hadn't hurt me yet. Not to say he wouldn't try, but I didn't think dinner would go like this. So far it wasn't bad. Company excluded, I'd say it was great. Or maybe I just really liked the food.

That is, until Aro said, "Isabella, you have barely said a word about yourself. Tell me more about your life. What is your family like?"

I dropped the bite of canne-something I was about to take. Was this his way of bringing Charlie into the conversation? What could Aro possibly want to know about Charlie? I didn't prepare an answer for this. I touched the holster, but damn it, no confidence there. I looked to Edward for an answer. Maybe he saw something in Aro's mind? He focused his attention on his plate in response. Great.

I scrambled to reply. "Um, well, my mom lives far away right now. We don't really talk much. I live with Charlie and, uh, he is a great dad. Really. I couldn't ask for anyone better."

"So, he's irreplaceable," Aro stated, staring intently.

"Yes, definitely."

"I see. What else? What does he do to provide for you?"

"Nothing, recently anyway. He used to be chief of police in Forks, but. . . ."

"But?"

I bit my lip, debating. Did I tell him the truth about his vampires and risk making him angry? What was I thinking? This wasn't about sparing his sensibilities. Besides, he already knew the worst behavior from his loyal subjects.

"But when the vampires came to town, they made it hard for him to do his job. So he quit." There, that was okay.

The old vamp looked confused. "He quit his job? How do you pay for your house and simple things?"

"It doesn't matter. My house was burnt to the ground."

"What happened?" he gasped.

I shoved another forkful in my mouth as he spoke, trying to stave off the outburst I felt bubbling. _What happened? As if he didn't know!_ Did he really have no idea what his vampires were doing? Didn't he realize who Charlie was, and what I was part of? Did he think I forgot about the resistance just because, as far as he knew, I was Jasper's Renfield? I swallowed, chasing it with some water. Aro waited with wide, curious eyes.

"Vampires," I answered simply. "Vampires burned down everything I owned."

"That's outrageous!" he yelled, slamming a fist on the table. It rattled but didn't break; a great show of restraint on his part. Unless the table was as sturdy as it looked. "Why would they do such a horrendous thing? I demand to know who did this. He will pay."

Edward looked up from his plate to me, questions bubbling behind his eyes. Did I want him to step in? I had a feeling this was about to relate to Jasper. I still wasn't clear on our cover story; definitely should have asked about that one.

"That's a mighty big population to—"

"Bella was part of the resistance group," Edward interrupted. "Her father oversaw both Forks and Port Angeles. She wasn't the only one who was attacked; most resistance members lost their houses as a warning."

Aro raised an eyebrow in question. "Yes, I know that. I had many discussions with the Quileute elders over the state of Forks, but the truth is I don't associate myself with that town. My coven seems to think of it as our territory, though honestly, I never said such a thing." He waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Yet that is not our topic right now. I want to know why they would attack Isabella directly. Only because Charles leads the resistance? Ridiculous. They know she's not to be touched."

"Your order turned into a competition," Edward replied.

"Really? What for?"

"Who could catch her. She was on the run from your minions until Jasper came across her."

Aro frowned, looking between me and Edward. Why was he confused? Didn't he know what his own vampires were doing?

"I told select few to find her but to bring her in unharmed. They never returned. How others found out, I will never know, because I only told my most trusted, my most powerful. They would never spread the news."

"Apparently they did. Every vampire in a five mile radius had been sniffing around for her," Edward snarled.

The frown on Aro's face smoothed away to a smile. Without a word he set down his silverware and stretched his hand toward Edward. Edward didn't even question him, just obediently gave his hand to Aro. What was he sharing now? Aro closed his eyes, his grip tightening around Edward's hand. It had to be bad if that happened, right? It was a few seconds of silence before either vamp moved. I thought about ditching while Aro got the information he wanted, but some invisible force kept me in my seat, patiently munching on the canne-whatever.

Edward pulled his hand away, his face stoic, not giving me even a pinch of information. Aro kept the grin. Whatever he got, it was exactly what he wanted. "_La tua cantante_, correct?" he asked smugly. Edward's eyes flinched, and he tried to hide it with a blink. "I thought so. It's killing you that Jasper found her, is it not?"

"What is he talking about?" I asked Edward.

"My dear Isabella, Uncle Aro has found the keystone of Edward's problems, and more importantly, his jealously." Aro turned to me, discreetly moving his chair closer. "You, my dear, are his singer."

That uncle thing was starting to creep me out. I never thought a simple word would give me the fucking heebie-jeebies. "What does that mean?"

"It means he wants to kill you but for a different reason. For instance, I think you smell divine. I can hear your beating heart; you smell of freesia. I wish I could crack your chest open for a bigger lungful! Yet Edward does not only smell it. He tastes your pulse right on his tongue; even when you're apart, the memory of your scent calls to him like a siren. I believe he's not content to just smell it, or perhaps even sample your blood. If he had his way, he would bathe in it. He would soak in your essence. He would lick your bones dry for every possible succulent drop." He turned back to Edward, grabbing his goblet and raising it in a toast before taking a drink. "Am I wrong, Edward?"

My face was pale as I looked across the table to Edward. A vampire like him could kill me—I knew that—so why was I terrified to hear it explained like that? Probably because I could see the heat in Edward's eyes to back up Aro's statement. Imagining it—Edward's mouth and arms stained with my blood—wasn't helping. Suddenly, my meal didn't look so good.

"I'll take your silence as answer enough," Aro continued. "It's such a shame you are devoted to this lifestyle; you would be an excellent right hand. Not to insult the strength you have now, of course, but with Bella's blood you could be much stronger. Especially with the promise of the incubus in you. I saw it for myself, the way it still slithers inside you, replacing the soul you once had."

Edward immediately looked uncomfortable. So even Aro knew. "I don't see what that bit of information has to do with anything."

"There has to be some part of you that yearns to break free. A part that wants to defy Carlisle and taste a virgin's love again."

"Actually no, I never feel like that. I've learned to ignore that part of myself."

Aro frowned again in confusion. He focused solely on Edward, giving me the chance to really look at Aro's face. For once I got to see the wheels turning inside a vampire's mind. The flurry of emotions in Aro's blazing red eyes projected his frustration, complete with small grimace. In a blink it was all gone, and I was looking back into the pleasant, empty mask.

"I didn't realize you had become such a comedian, Edward," he said. "Look at you. Your skin is so soft, eyes so dark and vibrant. You don't even look your age. I have seen Carlisle's research on his incubus experimentation. You would not be so healthy unless you fed both sides: the vampire and the incubus."

I was definitely missing something here, and I didn't like it. I thought when Edward said he was an incubus, he meant that he liked to feed while he fucked. I didn't think it was a completely different side.

Edward shifted, leaning his elbow on the table. "There are different kinds of lust to feed from. I don't need a woman to fall in love with me to be satisfied."

Aro gave a cocky smile. "Yes, I know that quite well. I watched you in Italy, though scarce years they were. You used to follow small brunettes through the city and play the aloof bad boy. They wouldn't fall in love, per se, but the strong sense of pleasure is good enough for you, correct?" Aro motioned to me, his eyes trained on Edward. "You know, now that I think of it, Isabella resembles your victims."

Edward looked away. Fuck, he was playing me for another victim? What was wrong with this vampire? What was wrong with _me?_ I was sitting here like it was completely normal to hear something like this—with a couple of vampires. One that wanted to own me and another that wanted to kill me. Or maybe he just wanted to eat me or screw me so I'd get out of his system. _I don't know!_ I didn't care to know! I just wanted to get out of here immediately. My knees were nearly knocking together.

Aro turned to me with his pleasant smile, but there was something different about him. The polite host was slowly giving way to the unstable vampire the Cullens and Peter had warned me about. Much to my horror, the conversation suddenly shifted back to me. "I do almost feel bad for taking her away from you, but such is life. Tell me, Isabella, when does Jasper plan to turn you?"

"Excuse me?" I asked weakly, pushing the plate away from me. My appetite was officially spoiled.

"I thought you might have discussed it with him by now. Before you killed vampires, you _must_ have noticed how happy they were. No one can resist the temptation of eternal life, not even a young girl brought into this lifestyle against her will. The promise to stay young forever is often very popular."

"Unless they're wanted by a crazed master," Edward snapped. "Tell her the real reason you want her changed."

Aro sighed, rolling his eyes gracefully. "So stubborn, Edward, and so very rude for peeking. While it's true I would love to have you for my ranks, Isabella—there is much potential in you—I admit my true intentions are a bit more selfish." He grabbed my hand from under the table in a firm grip. I tried to struggle before those painful fingers ran across my brain, but I didn't feel anything this time. It was just his hand, but his face was way too sincere as he stared at me.

"You remind me so much of my past," he admitted quietly. "You look like my darling sister. I knew from the moment I saw your glowing eyes eagerly drinking up the Seattle skyline, I had to make you mine. So I marked you when you finally decided to stay. I had to keep an eye on you somehow, make sure no one stole you away from me." An eerie grin came to his lips. "Apparently, I did the right thing, because here you are."

_Oh my god. _I fought not to vomit. I focused on my hand freezing in his and not the heavy weight in my gut. Oh god, I was going to be sick. He had been chasing me, ruining my life, because I looked like his sister?

He released me, and I quickly pulled my hand back, wiping it on the gown. He didn't notice. His eyes had a faraway look.

"Didyme was very precious to me," he continued. "Her power was unlike anything else, spreading happiness and love wherever she went. I had to kill her, you know. Would you like to hear the story?"

I felt like my eyes were so wide they'd pop out. I shook my head, unable to find my voice.

"Of course, of course. How very rude of me, trying to tell horrific stories over a wonderful meal. We don't want you to lose your appetite. Please, continue eating."

I didn't move. My stomach wasn't interested in more food.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, Didyme. You see, she was a beautiful creature. In her human life, her eyes were the very same brown, yet her hair was darker. You may look alike, but your personalities could not be more different. How would that translate for your power? Like she spread love, would you spread fear and death with every step you take? Or perhaps you would attain a psychic ability? The very thought of it excites me! When did you say Jasper was turning you?"

"Never!" I screeched hoarsely, trying to sink into my chair. "I never want to become a vampire."

"Nonsense!" he laughed. "If this is about Jasper as your sire, never fear, my lovely. Uncle Aro is here for you. I will take you under my wing for your new life, and Sulpicia would be happy to groom you into a proper young lady. No more silly weaponry, unless you'd like to try rapier. Now there's a sport. But we'll talk details in a bit." He wasted another smile on me before turning back to Edward.

"Now my young friend, it's as the Latin texts say, _lex talionis._ An eye for an eye," he said, his voice dark with accusation. "I told Isabella my deepest secret; now tell her yours. Specifically, about her father. What exactly happened to Charles?"

_What?_ I wanted to ignore Aro's goading. I wanted to go back to the suite, retrieve my guns and give up. Yes, I, Bella Swan, wanted to give up on trying to kill this psycho. But then he mentioned Charlie. A jolt raced down my spine at the sound of his name. This whole thing wasn't just about me, damn it. I was here for Dad. With a tired sigh, I sat up. _I can do this. It's for Dad._ That's all I had to remember. That was my resolve.

"I don't know what you're talking about," mumbled Edward.

"Come now, Edward. _Verità tra ci._ We both know I never ordered Charles' capture. But why would my people bring him here nearly a day before your arrival?"

Edward muttered something, but it was too low for me to hear. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. It had to be something terrible if Edward was acting like this. I'd noticed he wasn't capable of hiding his emotions completely like Jasper, but he was better than this.

Aro waited patiently, tapping a finger on the table. I was grinding my teeth. What did Edward know about Charlie's capture? The Cullens had nothing to do with it, right?

Finally, Edward shook his head, and when he looked up at me, there was no emotion whatsoever on his face. His voice was clear as he said, "Carlisle demanded we interfere with radio communications. Jasper sent the order to Aro's group to capture Charlie. Whatever means necessary, as long as Charlie was unharmed."

It felt like a whole minute had passed as I stared stupidly at Edward.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I asked. I tried to think of any reason the Cullens wanted Charlie taken hostage; absolutely nothing came to mind. Was this some kind of sick joke? My father was probably dead in a cell somewhere by now, and this was how he made light of it? Familiar warm rage flooded my veins, and I felt like myself again. I stood up, slamming my hands on the table. "Stop playing games. I want the truth!"

"This is the truth," Aro said. "The Cullens intentionally sent you into danger. You thought you were doing something good, coming down here to rescue your father, and leave a hero. They were stringing you along for their own plans."

I glanced at Edward. "He's lying. He brought Charlie down here, didn't he?" Edward stayed quiet, his face immobile as he stared at the table. Desperation raced through me, and I heard it like a child's plea in my voice. "Didn't he? Answer me, damn it!"

"No, Aro had nothing to do with it," Edward replied quietly. "It was us. We told the vampires to steal Charlie."

"Why would you do that to him?" I screamed.

"It was the only way we knew you would agree to come down here."

Aro interrupted our argument. He stood and eased my shaking body—whether from rage or fear, I couldn't tell—back into the chair, although I really didn't feel like sitting. I felt like strangling a bunch of vampires before I turned them into target practice. Starting with the one sitting across from me. I _trusted_ him. Somewhere along the way, I trusted Edward. He was an evasive son of a bitch sometimes, but despite all that I subconsciously relied on him to help me. How stupid could I be? An old joke ran through my mind. "_How do you know a vampire is lying? When his lips are moving." Yeah, all true._

"Bella, Bella, Bella," Aro said quietly, as if testing the nickname for himself as he stroked my hair. If he wasn't so fucking old and powerful, I'd do my best to break his fingers. "You see, Bella? He was hiding this from you all along. How could you ever trust the Cullens again after this, especially Carlisle's dog? You're much better off without them."

I moved away from him, feeling disgusted with myself for even letting him touch my hand. "Why does everyone keep calling him that?" I demanded.

"You don't know? Look at those eyes, Bella. They are fierce, and behind them lies a killer unlike anything you've ever seen waiting to be unleashed. It comes from the incubus in him; he's addicted to killing. That spirit is why Carlisle took him. Carlisle is very strong for his age, but he lacks a mean bone in his body. He needed an enforcer. That's where Edward comes in. He is Carlisle's feared right hand—his beast."

There was a deafening crack as wood splintered in Edward's fists. "Don't talk about him as if you know him," he snarled. "After what you did, you have no right to call him friend."

Aro scoffed. "If he was truly insulted, he would have come after me many years ago. Instead, he sends his _demone_ to threaten me. You can hide behind your mask, but I know why you are here. Why else would I send Caius and Marcus away? I knew you would go behind my back, clipping loose strings."

Edward's jaw clenched, and Aro gave a smug smile. By that look alone I could hear the word racing through his mind: _Checkmate._

"You're not as senile as I thought," said Edward. "So how did you figure it out?"

The old vamp laughed. "Senile? Oh Edward, you slay me. It wasn't very hard; you actually made it easier. Your memories were vague compared to the last time we met, and you made a devastating mistake when conjuring up your last conversation with Carlisle. He would never be so hateful. Also, when you tried to prove your loyalty, there was a second of hesitation—of disdain—but I don't blame you. It must have been hard to kill one of Bella's childhood friends."

The rage subsided, replaced by a cold rush of shock. What did he mean by that? _He's lying. He's a fucking vampire—he's lying about all of this._ But between Jessica and Lauren, the only one still missing was. . . .

"I believe her name was Lauren," Aro continued with a confident tone. My heart plummeted. "She was a modern girl through and through, right Edward? Always talking. Her master didn't want her anymore, and no one else would take her." He turned to me with mock sorrow. "We had to do away with her, I'm afraid."

"You killed Lauren?" I asked Edward. "For what?"

"I made him do it as a test of his loyalty," Aro answered. "I did not expect him to do it so easily. He struggled at first, but he did it. He killed her simply because I told him to."

"Why didn't you let her go?" I yelled. "It's not always about killing, damn it!"

Aro looked genuinely surprised. "Felix had damaged her beyond repair," he explained calmly. "He does have a very addicting personality, after all."

I looked between the two vampires, trying to control the rage bubbling inside. I knew I couldn't trust Aro, but from the look on Edward's face, it was all true. And Edward—even after his smartass remarks and disgusting past—I'd trusted him only to find out he was part of an elaborate subplot. I really couldn't trust anyone down here, could I? But I should have known that getting into this crazy thing.

The chandelier rattled overhead just as Aro sat up in his chair. He looked to the ceiling with a small smile. "Ah, so it has already begun," he said softly, standing. "I must admit, your family is very fast, Edward. Very well. If Carlisle wants his city back, I will give him a proper fight. Excuse me, young friends, but our dinner will have to wait until another day. Something dire has come up."

Aro was gone in the blink of an eye. Good riddance. For once, I was faster than a vampire and stood before Edward, heading towards the exit. He was right behind me, of course, and easily keeping pace. I didn't care what he was going to do, but I was going back to the suite to get my pistol; there was a whole magazine with his name on it. What had Aro said? _Lex talionis_. Eye for an eye—life for a life. Even if he was just a walking corpse, I really wanted to explode his head. Just because Aro claimed Lauren was broken, that didn't make it true. She could have been completely stable and wide awake. Edward didn't have to kill her to follow up with some charade.

When we were in the stairwell, I figured out the reason the chandelier shook. A tremor passed under my feet, knocking me off balance. Edward swept me up in his arms without hesitation and ran up the stairs.

"Put me down!" I screamed, wiggling in his hold, and pushing against his chest.

"Stop squirming or I'll drop you," he complained, holding me tighter.

"That's the—"

Before I could complete my sentence, he threw me over his shoulder. I gave a frightened shriek at seeing the blurry steps so suddenly. He was using his vampiric speed now. I closed my eyes, trying not to be sick, and before I knew it, we stopped moving. We were already back in the suite. He set me on my feet only to feel another tremor.

"What is that?" I asked.

"Explosions. Your friends are on their way in to clean house and collapsing any escape routes Jasper or I might have missed," he replied tensely.

I stared up at his hard face, his jaw set. The resistance was storming the castle? Already? I thought Sam might get impatient and bust me out of here at some point, but not so soon.

"Go get changed. We're leaving," he said. "We're going to have to fight our way to Charlie, so bring all your weaponry."

When I didn't move, he barked, "Go! We don't have a lot of time!"

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded. "Why should I believe anything you say?"

He tugged on his hair and gave an agonized groan. "I scre—no, I really fucked up, Bella. I could have stopped this, or at least told you what was going on, but I'm such an idiot. I knew something was wrong. I just didn't think it would go this far."

"What are you talking about? Did Carlisle really—"

"It wasn't his idea, trust me. It was an informant's. Carlisle just wanted to find a way to get back in Seattle. This is _his _city; he founded it, built it from the ground up until Aro stole it from him. I never wanted this to happen. Please believe me. None of us thought you would be the answer to getting in; it just happened. I'm so sorry."

I was barely following his rapid words; he was basically spitting them out, trying to rush our conversation. "Whose idea was it?"

Another tremor passed, and this time, I heard the faint explosion. "Please Bella—"

"It was you, wasn't it?"

With another groan, he pushed me towards my bedroom. I dragged my feet against the floor, the heels scraping against the tile. "We don't have time for this, but I'll give you a hint," he said, effortlessly pushing me. "You know him, and he's the only one who can supply army-grade technology."

I stumbled over the carpet of my room. Edward wasted no time in grabbing the door, closing me in. I didn't even have to think about it; it instantly clicked. The only person capable of that—the one who helped orchestrate this mess—had been with us all along. I whispered the name in shock. "Embry."

++-++-++

_Translation: Verità tra ci - truth between us_


	21. Chapter 20a

**Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight Saga, I've got the plot. No copyright infringement intended. No money is being made off this; it's just for fun.**

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_I want to thank everyone for their patience-thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!_  
_When I said I wasn't giving up on CV, I meant it!_

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Previously on Cauchemar Vivant: _The chandelier rattled overhead just as Aro sat up in his chair. He looked to the ceiling with a small smile. "Ah, so it has already begun," he said softly, standing. "I must admit, your family is very fast, Edward. Very well. If Carlisle wants his city back, I will give him a proper fight. Excuse me, young friends, but our dinner will have to wait until another day. Something dire has come up."_

And now, part one of the exciting conclusion of Cauchemar Vivant!

xx-xx-xx

He used me. They _all _used me like . . . like some stupid human. Why had I trusted any of them? How had I even _considered_ it to begin with? Charlie raised me better than to trust a bunch of vampires. I'd had the survival rules of Forks beaten into my head from the time I was taught to shoot a gun; that was when I was seven. I should have listened to Jacob. I should have never come down here with the Cullens. I should have come down here with my friends at my back, guns blazing.

But it was too late for that. Now I just felt dirty. I felt betrayed.

I tripped over the hem of the gown as I went to turn on a light. Thanks to the heels, I stumbled before falling over. I braced myself before I hit the carpet then kicked off the stupid heels. _This dress is getting on my last fucking nerve! _A rush of warmth flooded my veins, and the familiar tingle of rage felt good. It felt normal.

As I stood, finally hitting the light so I could see to gather my equipment, I struggled to get out of the gown. The rage racing through my veins made untying the laces harder than it should have been. My hands shook with the warm pulse of my anger. It made something simple, like tugging a ribbon loose, impossible. My back burned with scratches as I kept missing. There was a vampire outside the door with the strength to rip it off, but fuck that.

With a frustrated scream, I threw the small duffel bag on the bed, searching for something that would take the gown off. Underneath the heavy artillery was the long hunting knife in its sheath. I slipped the blade between my skin and the laces and pulled, trying to avoid cutting myself in the process; one by one they fell apart. A clean slice. Shimmying out of the gown, I took a deep breath, freed from my prison at last.

My fingers tightened around the handle of the blade. Everyone got a couple of knives in Embry's shop that day.

_Embry._

That son of a bitch lied to us. He was the one behind all this. I thought he was part of the resistance! Why would he do this? There was no denying it though. He betrayed us. For what? What did he gain from capturing Charlie and getting me underground? And what else did he lie about? Was he really Quileute? Was he even a werewolf? What about his sob story—how much of that was real? _Why am I asking myself when I could be hunting him down?_

My fingers fumbled with the buckle on the thigh holster as I went to the armoire to collect what clothes I needed. It wasn't coming loose. Here I was, naked in a monstrous room, fighting with my own equipment, while the ceiling threatened to come down on my head. The tremors really hadn't let up at all, and I wondered just how many tunnels were around this area. Eventually I gave up and grabbed the knife from the bed, sawing through the tough material. I threw the holster on the bed as I grabbed a pair of jeans out of the bottom drawer of the armoire.

I came to one conclusion as I pulled the denim over my legs: Embry was getting something out of this. There was no way he'd devise all this unless he got something—I just hadn't figured out what it was yet. A piece of Seattle? But if that was what he wanted, he'd have to go through Carlisle. Even though they were working together, I didn't think Carlisle would easily hand his city over. And what did they need me for? I couldn't be only a distraction. Embry wouldn't try so hard to get me down here.

Did he want to kill me? The Cullens didn't seem too concerned trying to keep me out of Aro's clutches. Would it be a good or bad thing if Aro had me? Did the Cullens even care? Oh, right. Not likely.

I couldn't believe we'd been betrayed. I'd always been taught to trust in the resistance completely—they were the only friends I had, basically extended family. We were one body working towards one goal. We weren't supposed to have traitors. Embry didn't only betray me or the resistance, but Charlie—all of Forks. Sam trusted him; Embry had been in charge of half of the Forks invasion. What if he let someone die? Mike was part of the airdrop . . . and Tyler. That's right, Embry _did_ let someone die. One of our men. I didn't care what Sam said. Embry's men let Tyler die to force my hand, to seal the deal that I'd come down here. Tyler didn't have to give himself up. The marines could've helped him!

The fist pounding against the door made me jump. "Are you ready?" Edward asked, his voice muffled by the thick wood. I spotted my pistol on the bed where I'd left it earlier and popped the magazine. Still loaded. I was a little surprised; I thought Jasper might mess with my weapons. It'd serve me right for leaving them laying around.

I slid the magazine home, pulling the slide back, chambering a round. I wondered if Edward was listening. It was a warning to let him know his pushing wasn't welcomed. I was hurrying to get dressed. Really, I was. I didn't like the way rubble fell from the ceiling with each tremor. If the ceiling was going to come down, I didn't want it to happen while I was here. With each tunnel collapsing, I wondered if it would bring down the whole underground city. It would certainly make parts unstable enough.

I had just pulled on a long-sleeved green shirt when Edward knocked again less than a minute later. Before I could think, my hand grabbed the pistol, firing a round. The roar of the gun echoed loudly in the cavernous room, but I heard the wood splinter. Did it come out the other side? Armor-piercing rounds were strong enough to go through, well, pretty much anything. A little bit of wood shouldn't have been a problem. Just to be sure, I fired twice more when I heard a glorious sound. A pained groan.

I went to the door, throwing it open to find Edward wide-eyed and pressing a hand to his side. Blood seeped from between his fingers, staining his white shirt and dripping to the floor. Good. They actually bleed.

Without thinking, I tackled him to the floor. He was shocked enough that he went without a struggle, and I sat high on his chest, one knee against his left elbow, and one foot firmly on the floor; only an idiot sits on both knees, unable to move. I shoved the gun barrel in his gaping mouth, finger on the trigger.

"Guess we're finally going to find out how well you talk around a gun," I said, the darkness in my voice not surprising me. I sounded downright evil. This was the last straw. I was pissed, and I was most definitely done messing around. "We're going to do this my way now, got it? No more politics, no more word games. You're going to take me straight to Charlie. If you even utter a word, I will shoot you."

Edward's right hand twitched where it rested beside his head. I shoved the gun further into his mouth. "Let me rephrase that," I growled. "If you utter a word, or make any sudden movements,_ I_ _will shoot you_."

When he didn't immediately move, I slowly brought the gun out of his mouth. "Now, I'm going to stand up, and you're going to take me to Charlie. Got it?"

Edward nodded. Before I moved, I noticed a spark of concern in his eyes that confused me. I hated seeing it, mostly because I was tired of his false sympathy. I wanted him to be afraid of me. He didn't look alarmed at all that I could blow his brains out. I was ready to do it, but I still needed him. Charlie wasn't safe yet.

I slowly straightened, watching Edward carefully for any signs of movement. Obediently, he stayed still. Yeah, so maybe I was looking for an excuse to shoot him again, but I had to keep reminding myself that I couldn't kill him yet. When I was fully on my feet and standing a few inches away, Edward took a deep breath and stood. It was slow and deliberate, and I liked that he was taking my threat to heart. I added my right hand to the pistol for a steadier aim; my muscles were starting to quiver as the adrenaline wore off. Squeezing the butt of the pistol, warm from my palm, was familiar and grounding. Edward's white shirt had a nice red stain on it, but there was no fresh blood. His wound had healed a lot faster than I thought.

As Edward went toward the door, I remembered my other artillery still sat in the bedroom. "Wait," I called, and he immediately stopped. "I'm not leaving without all my weapons. Don't move an inch or a centimeter, or however much a vampire can measure."

He stayed firmly in his spot as I walked backward to the bedroom, gun still steady on his chest. When he was out of my sight, I ran for the door and immediately dug into the duffel bag, producing the now-familiar rig. It only took me a second to slip into it and the wrist sheath for the knife; the sword was still nestled in the built-in sheath. I shoved as many pistol magazines as I could fit in my pockets then slung the Striker over my shoulder like a reassuring hug. The small duffel bag was thrown over the opposite shoulder with the main pocket slightly unzipped for easy access to ammo. I needed heavier firepower than my pistol; holstering it, I decided to carry the FAMAS. I kept it close to my chest, almost cuddling it for comfort. My only friends in this demented place and I completely ignored them. What was I thinking?

With a deep, almost cleansing breath, I entered the main room again to find Edward hadn't moved. Well, everyone called him a dog; it was nice to know he could take orders like one. When he saw me, he made a gesture as if asking if we could continue. I motioned him forward with the FAMAS, and he went without complaint.

Outside of the room, I could hear the evidence of battle. It wasn't just explosions going off, but gunfire and screams echoed up the stairs too. Were our guys killing Renfields too? Some Renfields had to have a pinch of humanity left, right? I still wasn't sure what to do with the Renfields down here; I wanted to save as many humans as possible.

As we descended the stairs, I wondered where the fight was happening. It wasn't too close to us, judging by the way the rhythmic staccato echoed in the halls. How much had the resistance cleared out already? Why didn't I see any bodies lying around? The walls sported fresh cracks and the floor was covered in dust, but there were no bodies, no blood.

It was when we came to the hall of doors, just before the main room, that I got the nightmare scene I'd expected. The splash of red blood in the light was startling. It was splattered against the white walls, collected in puddles on the floor, and several different footprints tracked it into the oval room beyond. Most of the bodies lying around were missing their heads, leaking more blood on the floor; they were full of bullet holes. I didn't think any of our men were amongst the dead. At least, I hoped not.

I carefully stepped over the few bodies blocking the way to enter the main room. The destruction in here was worse.

The sight of it made my stomach churn. The smell of copper polluted the air, surrounding me, crushing me. I tried not to breathe, tried not to think of the time it was all over me. My hair, my face—covering my body. I thought I would choke on all the blood spray. And the warmth . . . it was like a living thing all around me.

I didn't realize I'd stopped moving until someone touched my shoulder. I jumped, bringing the FAMAS up with my finger on the trigger ready to fire. Edward held up his hands, his face filled with concern. I lowered the gun, but barely. That touch was enough to clear my head. I didn't concentrate on one thing; not my heart pounding in my chest, not my once off-white tennis shoes now covered in the thick red liquid, not even how it felt soaking into my shoes. Instead, I forced my mind elsewhere. If all this blood didn't affect Edward, one of the sickest vampires I knew, I couldn't let it affect me either. I took in the large domed room in one sweep, not lingering on anything too long.

A thin layer of dust had settled on all the blood, and looking up, I noticed why. Chunks of the mural were missing; underneath those brilliant colors was the same boring stone found everywhere else. Around the room, desks, tables, and chairs were flipped to provide cover from a gunfight. They were riddled with bullet holes, some of the material still smoking and burning from incendiary rounds.

Two bodies stood out in a sea of dead bodies, and that's only because they were moving. I tried not to step on anyone lying around as I made my way towards the living. It was Sam and Embry, crouched over one body talking quietly. Hearing Embry's laugh fueled my dimming rage, and I forgot my worry of stepping on bodies. I crossed the room at a dead run. I let the FAMAS hang on its sling, bumping my lower back, and pulled my pistol. This bastard didn't deserve a quick death.

Sam saw me first, and the look on his face said I had murder on mine. He jumped to his feet, ready to stop me. I knew he would try to grab me, but I wasn't letting anything stop me. I dodged under his arms and closed the short distance left between Embry and me, pistol ready to strike. He glanced over his shoulder just as I brought the pistol down. The butt connected sharply with his temple, cutting a deep gash in his head. He barely paused before standing. I threw one more punch with all my strength, the pistol nearly dislocating his jaw, when Sam grabbed my arms. I struggled, but he held on like iron bars. I almost had my left hand free until he changed his grip to my wrist, ready to apply pressure to get me to drop the pistol. I didn't think he'd really do it; I held a live gun, it could easily go off. But he got what he wanted: I stopped struggling.

Embry was on his feet, rubbing his jaw. He touched the gash there, and then the other my pistol left on his forehead, and then cracked his neck; the room was so empty, the sound echoed eerily. When he looked up, I wasn't looking at the good boy mask. I was really seeing Embry for the first time. It was like looking into the eyes of a vampire, cool and unreadable, yet behind them, there was something definitely not human or dead. It was very much alive, watching every shift my body made. And it was pissed. "You know, that kinda hurt."

"You bastard!" I screamed, pulling against Sam's grip again. He only held me tighter, the tension in his body skyrocketing. "You lying bastard!"

"Who told you?" was Embry's reply, but it didn't sound like him. His voice was rough, deeper. It made me grip the pistol tighter until my fingers nearly cramped.

"Embry, you need to calm down," Sam said carefully.

Embry ignored him. "Couldn't have been Edward. He has strict orders to keep his mouth shut."

I glanced behind me to Edward. His face was unreadable, yet he looked away.

Embry tsked. "No wonder Carlisle barely trusts you with anything. You've always been a thorn in his perfect world, you know."

I opened my mouth to ask him what he meant, but Sam interrupted me.

"Someone better start talking," Sam snapped. "Bella, is there a reason you attacked Embry?"

Sam was right. I had to keep my mind on business. Turning back to Embry, I knew I'd have to wait to question Edward. "Guess what, Sam?" I said, and kept my eyes focused on the other man. "Embry was lying to us this whole time. He _tricked_ us. He's working with the vampires."

"Embry?" Why did Sam have to ask for confirmation? Had I ever lied to him? I was so ready to kill the fucker and get this over with.

The room was silent for a heartbeat. Finally Embry moved to wipe the blood away from his head to reveal there was no longer a gushing wound. Just tan skin, not even a hair of that bizarre Mohawk out of place. "You can't call me a traitor," he said with a sigh. "I haven't betrayed anyone. All of this is for the greater good. Your town will be free of Aro much faster this way."

"Is that how you see it?" I spat. "You're insane! You betrayed the whole resistance the instant you gave Charlie up—not to mention you got Tyler killed, and almost Mike! Just admit it; you've been playing double agent this whole time."

"Let me—"

"You want us out of the way, killing us off one by one so your vampires can live happily ever after, is that it?"

"Shut up!" Embry roared. Sam pushed me behind his back as Embry approached, but I still saw his face. His eyes had changed to light amber. Okay, so maybe Embry was really a shifter. This wasn't human behavior.

"You don't understand anything, Bella. I had a debt to repay, and I'm a man who keeps my word," growled Embry. "Yeah, so I _helped_ devise the plan, but I never told Carlisle he had to do it. He sees it the same way I do—it helps your cause."

"What's this debt?" Sam asked quietly, taking the words right from my mouth. I felt ridiculous hiding behind Sam, but when I tried to move, he blocked me. Whatever was going on with Embry, it was dangerous. It was a cue to put the pistol away and hug the FAMAS.

"You really want the truth? Does this seem like the time?"

"Fucking great time," I said. Sam immediately hushed me.

Silence crowded into the room again, and I jumped when a guttural bark echoed from one of the many halls. Was that a wolf?

"Sounds like the clean-up crew is close," Embry said with a sigh, bringing my attention back to the main problem: himself.

"Listen, if you really want to know, I'll tell you," he said, "but don't blame me if we're attacked. Just standing around here makes for easy prey."

I moved around Sam, and he let me. Apparently the real danger had passed, but Embry's eyes still hadn't returned to normal. Those bright amber eyes watched me carefully.

I gripped the FAMAS tighter. "Talk faster, or you're getting a stomach full of incendiary rounds."

"I joined the marines when I was twenty-seven and was immediately thrust into the developing battle that became World War 2."

"That's the stupidest joke I've ever heard," I interrupted.

"Let him talk, Bella," Sam said. "You wanted to hear this."

"You don't actually believe him, do you?"

Sam nodded. "Embry turned ninety-four this year." Before I could even sputter a reply, he continued, "I'll explain it later. Just listen."

My right hand let go of the FAMAS to tug on my holster. How could Embry be ninety-four years old? He didn't look a day over twenty-three.

"What I told you before is mostly true. My military life was brought to an abrupt halt because I shifted. But it wasn't just some random occurrence. Carlisle was the medic on my base; it was because of him that I lost everything. My career was ruined thanks to him. He realized it and regretted ever showing up. He agonized over it for a few weeks until testing began. Finally, I guess he couldn't take it anymore because he helped me break out. I don't really know what happened, but apparently the military believes I died in testing. Carlisle set me up with a new life—a house, a store, and all the guns I could imagine. It didn't even begin to heal the wounds inflicted, but I knew that I was indebted to him for what he did. We stayed in touch, and I asked him what he wanted in return. It took five months after I opened the shop, but he admitted the truth. He wanted his city back, away from Aro. I think he told me as a joke, but I told him I'd make it happen. And look where we all are now."

I swallowed all the things I wanted to say and decided on a good question. I could sound smart for once. "So how do I fit into this picture?" I asked evenly, staring into those inhuman eyes. "Why am I down here?"

"Edward found you in the forest during a hunt and brought you to Carlisle. Carlisle found that mark of yours and gave me a call. He knew I was working with the resistance, using his funds to supply your weapons. He wanted to know if I had any information about the escapees, and let me tell you, there aren't many girls who carry an old pistol like yours."

"Doesn't mean it was me," I replied stiffly. How did he even get all the information?

"But it was, otherwise none of this would have happened. You know that lovely little crest on your back? That's what got you dragged into this mess. Aro had his eye on you; Carlisle wanted to know why." Embry gave me an antagonizing smile. "With you involved, Aro was out of our way. Send in a pretty distraction and suddenly the whole fortress is lacking in defense. Mission accomplished, I'd say."

Sam grabbed my arm, keeping the FAMAS pointed at the floor. Always predicting my next move. I almost shot myself in the foot, damn it. "I'm not some fucking pawn that you can lead around the board!" I screamed.

"But we did. Admit it—you fell for every little trap we set along the way. You only have yourself to blame for trusting a group of vampires."

Sam was about to reply, and I had a feeling it was going to be something mean and nasty, but a pained groan shut him up. It was the body he and Embry had been looking at before. No, not just any body.

"Jake," I whispered with shock. Suddenly I didn't care about being used in some territorial pissing contest—I wanted to know why my friend was lying in a pool of blood, gripping his stomach.

I twisted out of Sam's hold and, dropping the FAMAS by my side, went to Jake. I was almost hesitant to really get close—I couldn't tell if it was just his, but there was blood everywhere—then he let out another horrible sound. I tried to kneel slowly, but my legs were too weak to hold me up. I _knew_ this would happen. This was why I didn't want him here!

Jacob's skin was paler than usual and his lips had taken on a sickly tint. Although I didn't want to look, I forced my mind to make sense of all the blood splattered on his bare chest. There was a large bloody gash from just under his ribs down to his jeans, and hidden by his hands was what looked like the hilt of a knife.

"What happened?" I asked, trying not to show the fear through my voice. _There's too much blood,_ I thought. And it was still warm.

I didn't expect Jake to answer, but he was stubborn—like me. "Got a kukri blade imbedded in my gut," he moaned.

"What?" I shrieked. "Why hasn't anyone tried to get it out?" I turned accusing eyes to Sam and Embry.

"We'd damage something worse trying to take it out," Embry replied with a shrug. "Just shift already, Jake. It will come out."

Jake shook his head slowly, his eyes twisting with pain. "I don't want—"

"To die, I know," Embry interrupted, "so shift."

"He doesn't want Bella to see him as the beast," said a quiet voice. It made me jump. I forgot Edward was still around.

Barely glancing at him, I raised the FAMAS in his direction as a threat. "Remember our talk?" With a sigh, I turned back to Jake. "You idiot." Trying to resist the urge to punch him, I gently touched his bloody chest. "I don't care if you turn furry every once in a while. You can't die because of this idiot's"—I motioned to Embry over my shoulder—"master plan. Just do what you have to do."

"You'll . . . it's not pretty, Bells," Jacob said weakly, choking on his own blood.

"Shit, just do it!"

With another pained groaned, I felt something move under my hand. My skin crawled with a strange sensation, like a million ants marching on me. A bone shifted and cracked under my hand. I pulled away and stood up. What the hell was that?

I took a step back. He looked in worse pain than before. His body shook violently, hands clawing at the bloody floor, as his spine bowed backward. At first I thought he was having a seizure . . . and then his chest split open further. Coming out of his skin was dry brown fur. I took another step back as his arms stretched to the ceiling, changing shape as the explosion spread to the rest of his body. Bones audibly cracked, reshaping right before my eyes, as more fur sprouted from split skin. It was disturbing, yet amazing to witness. I could feel my own body shaking just from watching.

When the transformation was over, a large brown wolf lay on its back, panting. It rolled over with a whine, stood on trembling legs, and then heaved, spitting something up on the red floor. It was the kukri, completely intact, and three bullets.

The wolf collapsed with another painful whine. He rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, panting. My hands shook so hard, I had trouble gripping my rig. Trying to make sense of this was impossible.

My friend just . . . just what? Had a giant wolf crawl out of him? Exploded?

I took an involuntary step back. I didn't mean to, but holy shit! This was entirely different from the time Paul shifted in Forks; then again, I didn't get to _feel_ it that time. I felt Jacob's bones shift under his skin—briefly, but it was enough. I watched every painful part of Jacob's transformation. It was terrifying yet kind of beautiful, in a messed up way. Was Jake even still in there? Was he okay? The kukri came out, so why was Sam still standing off to the side? Why weren't we bandaging Jake?

"Jake?" I asked weakly. I hated how my voice shook, yet the scene kept replaying in my head.

"He'll be okay," Sam said. He came to stand beside me, and I was sure he could feel the light tremors running through my body. "We heal faster than humans. A little rest and Jacob will be good to go."

I shook my head quickly. "No. No way! You're going to make him fight? I don't care how fast he heals; he should get to the surface as soon as he can walk!"

"I didn't say I would make him fight."

"Bells." The sudden use of my nickname surprised me—mostly because it wasn't Sam that used it. I turned to Edward. Didn't we just go through this? I wasn't in the mood to threaten him again, as normal as it would make me feel.

Edward continued, "Jacob asked me to speak for him. He wants to tell you that he's okay. I quote: 'Sam won't make me fight unless I want to. Unlike you, I'm only stubborn, not suicidal.' You don't have to worry about him."

I looked down to the wolf to find strangely human eyes staring back at me.

"Jake?" I asked.

"It's not something I would admit to every day, but Edward has a decent gift. Creepy as hell, though." It was definitely Edward's voice, yet the words coming out of his mouth were all wrong. They were Jake's. Weird.

I gave a bitter laugh. "Let's hope you never meet Aro. He's a thousand times worse." Just thinking of those phantom fingers on my skull made me shudder. I moved closer and crouched beside Jake, slowly reaching my hand toward his big head. Call me crazy, but it looked like he was smiling as I stroked his cheek. He was so soft and warm . . . and dry. The fur came from inside, so why was he dry? Wasn't he hot with all that fur? Wait, why was I still petting my friend?

I stood quickly with a mumbled apology. My face felt hot as I adjusted my weapons, trying to look anywhere except someone's eyes. Of course, the only things to look at in the room were death and destruction. I settled on Edward; the least embarrassing option.

"We need to go," I said. He nodded in agreement.

"That's a good idea," said Sam. "We should move too."

I turned around to face him. "Are you going to join the others? Where are they, anyway? You guys seemed to clean house pretty damn quick."

"We have military forces and three wolves down here. I haven't seen any of the Cullens, but the resistance should have cleared most of the halls, if not all of them. We've got it covered, Bella. You just need to focus on getting Charlie out of here."

I knew that, yet I was almost afraid to find him. I didn't want to know the truth—if Charlie was alive or dead. But if he was still alive, I was going to do anything necessary to get him out of here.

"I'm not even entirely sure my guide knows where he's going," I replied. Turning to Edward, I asked, "Do you?"

"This way," he said. In a blink, he stood in front of a crumbling hallway. If I remembered correctly, that hall led to the throne room. Great.

"So Jake will really be okay?" I asked as I turned back to Sam.

"Don't worry about him, Bella," Sam said, exasperated. "He'll be prancing around like a puppy in a matter of minutes, but I guarantee he won't be fighting. Just go already."

I couldn't help grinning at him. I might aggravate him, but he still loved me. "Thanks, Sam. Be careful down here, okay?" Sparing a glance at Embry, I added, "Except you. It wouldn't hurt to jump in front of a few bullets for the people you stabbed in the back."

"Don't worry about him," Sam said with a smile. He clasped Embry's shoulder. "You're going to make an excellent shield for Jake."

Embry rolled his eyes. "I guess I deserve that. But I suggest worrying about yourself, girlie. Remember: if something happens to you, I get that Striker back."

I hugged the shotgun to my side. "Only if you can find my corpse and pry it from my cold, dead fingers."

He grinned. "Sounds like a challenge to me. A challenge I happily accept, girlie."

Judging by his laughter as I went to Edward, he thought he'd won. Not even close. When we got out of here, I would show Embry just how magnificent the Striker was. I'd have a special shot just for him.

I followed Edward down the long maze of halls, some of them cracked from the explosions, until we stood in front of the portrait leading to the throne room. As Edward struggled to find the hidden latch, I got a good look at the women in the painting.

The three of them were placed in a typical fancy medieval setting, surrounded by rich cloth, jewels, and fine antiques. The painting was surprisingly drab—except for the women. Their dresses, their hair and skin; everything glowed.

Two women stood beside one that sat on a gilded chair similar to the one behind the portrait. The woman on the left was a tall blond dressed in green silk. The woman on the right was slightly shorter, or perhaps it was just the shape of her large red dress; her black hair was tied in an intricate up-do. And the woman in the middle, the one sitting on the throne, was me. Or she looked like me, how I might imagine myself in a few years—just without red eyes. She was dressed in blue with her brown hair in loose curls. Unlike the other two, she was smiling.

The portrait moved, and Edward opened the hidden path with a strained grunt. Odd, since Jane had moved it effortlessly.

"That's Didyme, isn't it?" I asked, watching the women disappear as Edward pressed the portrait against the wall.

"Yes, she was Aro's sister," Edward replied. "I'm told he truly loved her, but when she fell in love with Marcus, she became a liability to the Volturi's strength."

At dinner, Aro briefly mentioned that he'd had to kill her. "What did she do?"

"She wanted to take Marcus and leave. Aro wouldn't allow it, since Marcus is a powerful force to have."

"What does he do?"

Edward glanced over his shoulder as he went through the walkway. "Now isn't really the time," he snapped. Wait, he sounded winded. He had to be way past the age of feeling the urge to breathe. Why was he basically panting?

The somber mood dropped. This time I got to snap as I followed him. "What, a little painting too much for you to move? What happened to that vampiric strength?"

"I haven't fed for days," he said, and promptly shut up.

"That's it? That doesn't even make sense. And what was Embry saying before, about Carlisle not trusting you? I thought you were his favorite or something."

No answer to that question, either.

We entered the round room, the place where I first met Aro. Just thinking about it made me sick. The way he looked at me, that façade of a gracious host, and those skeletal fingers. I didn't like that a vampire had tried to pry his way into my mind. Hopefully today would be the last time I ever saw him.

Edward stopped abruptly, and I was unconsciously following him so close that I nearly smacked into him. I almost asked him why he stopped, but the air shifted behind me and the question died in my throat. On instinct, I ducked; pulling up the FAMAS and turning in one motion, I barely had my balance before firing. The bullet blew through the vamp's stomach. He bowed with pain, a strangled cry coming from his throat, yet he stayed standing. I aimed the FAMAS higher and half of his face disappeared in a gory explosion. He screamed loud and long, his hands coming up to feel the damage. I stood and released the FAMAS in shock. It was a little stronger than I expected.

With a roar, the vamp finally moved. He disappeared in a burst of speed, and when I saw him again, his fist was inches from my face. Edward had a firm grip on his arm, although he had to use both hands. I took a step back when Edward said, "Your sword."

I barely hesitated. I unsheathed the sword, but as I brought it around to strike, the vamp disappeared. Edward swore and I gripped the sword's hilt tighter. With a rush of air, Edward disappeared; next I knew, the vamp was pinned by his neck against the far wall. He struggled against Edward's hold, growling and thrashing, but Edward was stronger. Some part of me thought that was strange. Wasn't he weak right now? I quickly shut it up, concentrating on the fight.

Again the vamp broke loose, and again the fight was too fast for me to follow. I watched Edward grapple with the vamp, then with the next blink they were gone. I didn't have much warning when a body flew at me; I jumped out of the way, but not before a limb slammed into my arm.

The vamp rolled, absorbing the impact, and was almost on his feet when Edward was suddenly there, holding him down.

"Bella!" Edward called.

I was halfway across the room when the vamp tore an arm free and landed a punch across Edward's jaw. It was enough to weaken his grasp, and the vamp took advantage of it, rolling them until he held Edward down. A knife seemed to appear in the vamp's hands, just a quick flash of silver in the light. He wasted no time plunging it into Edward's neck. Edward gasped and choked as the vamp twisted and ground the blade into the skin.

Time slowed for a moment. The fear and pain that crossed Edward's face was so clear to me, it made me stumble. He was afraid he was going to die—a very human reaction. I couldn't let him die. I had to save him. As much as I hated the thought, I had to kill someone for him. To protect him. _Shit._

A burst of adrenaline pushed me forward, and I used the momentum for extra force behind my swing. I brought the sword down on the vamp's right shoulder, causing him to howl, releasing the knife. Blood immediately welled, and I think I struck deep enough that he lost motion in that arm. It wasn't a killing blow, but it was a painful distraction. Edward wormed his way out from underneath the vamp; he held a hand to his throat, trying not to move the knife. Some of the fear had gone out of his eyes, replaced with gratitude. Now was _not_ the time for thanks.

The vamp swiped at me with his left arm; I wasn't fast enough. The heel of his hand connected sharply with my chest. With a weak gasp, I was suddenly airborne. I didn't hit the wall as I expected, and instead landed against something with a bit of cushion. My head still snapped back, and it was still rough on my back, but it was better than cracking my head on concrete or marble. When I was able to breathe again, and the stars had cleared from my vision, I glanced behind me to find Edward's bloodstained shirt. Then he was gone.

I stood uneasily and waited for the dizziness to pass. I'd never been thrown with vampiric strength—it was not a ride I wanted to repeat. Thinking clearly, I realized my sword had gone missing. I spotted it close to where the vamp had hit me and ran to it on unsteady legs.

As my fingers closed around the hilt, Edward screamed. I looked up too fast, the room swam, but holy shit I was not expecting that. When my vision cleared, I really wished I hadn't looked.

The vamp had pinned Edward again and was driving the dagger further into Edward's neck. Through the blood, I could _see _the inner workings of Edward's throat. It took my brain a minute to realize he was nearly beheaded.

I didn't have time for the sword. I pulled up the FAMAS and fired.

I blinked and suddenly the rest of the vamp's head was an explosion of meat. The body sat up for a moment longer then slumped on Edward. Grabbing the sword, I ran to Edward, hoping he was still alive. Could he even heal that much damage?

I crouched beside him and pushed the vamp's body off; it flopped on its chest with a meaty slap onto the floor. Up close, the damage to Edward's neck was worse. It was so ravaged I wasn't sure he could use it now. No, I couldn't think like that; he had to be alive. Yet one more slice would've easily brought his head clean off.

"Edward?" I asked weakly. I didn't want to touch him. I really, really didn't want to touch him. "Edward, come on. We have to go."

Nothing.

I swallowed the sick feeling building in my throat and tried again. "Time to go, Edward, but you gotta move first. Move like the undead corpse you are. Move, damn it!"

Suddenly his eyelids fluttered, his fingers twitched, and he came to with a terrible, raspy cough. A waterfall of blood cascaded down his shirt as he sat up, gasping. I sighed as relief flooded my chest, letting me breathe again. He was okay, after all.

He reached up and grabbed the dagger handle. What was he thinking? It was lodged too deep in his throat to pull out!

"You shouldn't do that," I said anxiously. "Are you trying to kill yourself? Stop trying to move the blade!"

Edward coughed. "Renfield," he gasped.

I looked around the room. There was no one else here. "What?"

"Kill him. Finish him off."

His weak words hit me like a cold tidal wave. _Finish him off._ I stared at the headless body with wide eyes. I knew now why Edward could keep up with him in his weakened state. That man wasn't a vampire. He was human.

_ I murdered a human._

My sword clattered against the marble floor. The room spun; I felt sick again. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the urge to vomit to pass. We weren't supposed to kill humans; we should try to save to everyone possible. Charlie was always very clear when he mentioned this. We were vampire killers, not murderers.

"Bella? Bella, you're going to pass out. Breathe."

I did as the voice instructed. After three deep breaths, I opened my eyes, but the scene hadn't changed like I'd hoped. The only thing different was that the dagger was no longer sticking out of Edward's throat. The skin was slowly stitching itself together as I watched.

He watched me, eyes cautious. "Are you okay?" he said, and the sight of the muscles in his neck working intrigued me. I almost wanted to stick my fingers in the wound and feel them.

That was _not_ a good thought. I closed my eyes again. Was this shock? Because I really couldn't handle that right now. _Damn it, get a grip, Bella. _I dug my nails into my palm until I felt something real, something that could ground me. Pain flared in my hands, and I slowly inhaled. As much as I hated it, this _was_ real. I killed a man without thinking. To make sure he didn't have a nasty surprise waiting for us, I had to cut him open. Was this my punishment for protecting a vampire?

I grabbed the sword, pushed up to my feet, and moved to the Renfield's body. I had never tried stabbing someone in the heart. First time for everything, right?

The body was still draining blood onto the floor, creating a slick pool beneath my feet. I slid once. How much blood could one body hold? If he wasn't dead from what I did to him, he'd die from bleeding out. Maybe I wouldn't have to cut him up, but it's better to know for sure. I tightened my grip on the sword's hilt as I brought it up.

"You need to use a lot of strength to get through the ribs," Edward coached softly. At least he sounded a bit stronger; that was good. "Bring it straight down. Don't hesitate."

I plunged the blade into the Renfield's back only to be met with resistance and a sickening crack. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I didn't have the strength to make it through bone and muscle in one swing. Blood welled as I fought with the sword, jamming it deeper into the body. The Renfield didn't move, didn't make a sound; he was truly dead, thanks to me.

Edward's hands closed over mine, giving the sword one last shove. The blade passed through the body, coming out the other side and making the pool of blood bigger, more ocean-like than a small pool. I looked up at Edward with surprise; I didn't see him move. It had to be shock—definitely.

He pulled the sword free, still using my hands, and the disgusting squishing sound made my stomach roll. He stepped back and pulled me along. I didn't protest; I wanted to get out of this room entirely. When we were far enough from the body, Edward released me. He was about to say something until I cut him off. I had a feeling whatever he was going to say, I wouldn't like it.

"Whatever you're going to say, don't. Take me to Charlie," I said. I didn't recognize my voice, but it wasn't shaking. Point for me.

He exhaled sharply. "Come on. He's just through here," said Edward, motioning to the arched doorway.

I debated what to do with the sword. I really didn't want to sheathe it, afraid I might smear blood all over my back, but after a few moments, I tried it anyway. Just to prove that I could do something without being a baby; it slid home my first try. I hated this weak feeling. I _knew_ I had to kill. Living in Forks, I came to terms with that very quickly. Yet why did I continue to hesitate? I saw it with my own eyes—Renfields weren't _entirely_ human. They were one step away from becoming the thing I hated most. There was no room for weakness out in the battlefield, which was what Charlie had warned me about time after time. _Man up or back out, Swan._ I couldn't let this weakness control me much longer or it would get me killed.

Edward took us past the golden throne to the archway beyond. A small tremor passed under my feet as we stepped into the darkness. It wasn't long until I spotted a sliver of light against the floor. A door. Edward pulled it open, and immediately a wave of warm air assaulted me. I choked on the smell accompanying it—as if I was swimming in a thousand pounds of rotten, raw hamburger meat.

Edward stood silently in the doorway, waiting for me to stop gagging. Did I even want to know what waited beyond here? Not really, but Charlie was somewhere over that threshold. I could do it. I had to.

It took a moment, and my eyes continued to tear up, but I caught enough breath to hold. I only took short gasps through my mouth when I absolutely needed them.

We entered the cobblestone room to find the hall lined with cells. The bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling hardly lit their insides. Was that a good thing? I tried to see into a cell, squinting into the darkness.

My mind couldn't make sense of it—or refused to. I saw a pile of brown and red mush. Then I saw an arm crawling with maggots . . . an eye . . . a flash of torn intestines. The blood spray on the wall—fresh.

I ignored it. I held my breath and kept walking. I could do this. I just didn't look in any more cells. I focused on the weight of my guns, focused on the back of Edward's head—anything except the cells as we passed.

We were nearly to the large steel door at the opposite end when something shuffled behind me. Again, I was turned around with my gun to my shoulder on instinct. I would have pulled the trigger, but taking a breath of the putrid air made me gag and lose my mark. When I opened my eyes, I saw a bandaged hand stuck out of a cell, waving wildly.

"Hey, Bella! Over here!"

I lowered the gun and glanced behind me, telling Edward to wait. Without waiting for a reply, I went to the hand, careful to stay out of mystery man's reach. After the first cell, I really didn't want to look into another one, but this one was, thankfully, empty. Except for a slightly familiar face: Smiley, who was so kind to point me in Charlie's direction. He had lost his shirt somewhere, and he was bloodied up, but it was definitely Smiley. The grin kind of tipped me off.

"Thank God," he sighed with relief. He wrapped his hands around the bars and leaned against them. I didn't move closer. "I was really hoping you would come this way, and here you are. Great timing as always, Bella."

I really hated how everyone knew my name. "I guess so," I replied curtly. Standing around to talk in this place was not at the top of my to-do list. "What are you doing in there? I got the impression you were somewhat loyal."

"Someone told on me," he answered. "I admit it was stupid to talk in the middle of the hall. They overheard us. I wasn't really supposed to know where Charlie is, after all."

"So because someone thought you were helping me—"

"And I must have, since you're here," he added with a painful-looking grin.

"Right, I'm about to check the validity of those words," I mumbled. "But why would they attack one of their own? They didn't leave you to rot here, did they?"

"Well they might. I have a feeling if I call my mistress a bitch and tell her to shove a stake through her heart again, yeah, they'll leave me here. For now, it's more like a timeout. Unless everyone is dead. Then I sit here and wait for the ceiling to collapse."

His display of arrogance was impressive. Back-talking his mistress had to be hard to do; or perhaps he was just tired of it all. He almost seemed annoyed by vampires when I first met him. If he was really done with this, I wasn't going to let the ceiling squish him. He was getting out of here.

"Who are you?" I asked.

He held out his hand for a shake, but I wasn't taking any chances. I stayed back as he smiled at me. "Name's Quil Ateara. Nice to meet you."

I gripped my gun tighter. "I know a Quil Ateara. Not exactly a popular name," I replied stiffly.

The smile was wiped right off his face. "Oh, so you know that old fart. Great," he sighed, dropping his hand. "Old Quil is my grandpa." Quil looked a little embarrassed then. "Please don't call me Junior."

"No problem, Quil," I said. Now that I was looking, he did resemble Old Quil; same eyes, same nose. Only this Quil was less ancient. Was this what Old Quil looked like back in the day? "Hey, can I ask you something?"

He shrugged.

I was curious how an elder's grandson ended up down here, but we didn't have time for a round of Twenty Questions. We had to keep moving. I looked around the corridor, a testament to how they treated him. "You're not actually happy here, are you?"

"Not anymore," he answered. "The first few months were amazing. I was pampered, I was wanted—it felt like I was really loved. Then my mistress started to treat me like a dog, and all this shit happened. I'd rather get out of here while I can."

"I think that can be arranged," I replied with a smile. "Can you defend yourself?"

Quil returned my grin. "I have teeth and claws that can shred a vampire in ten to thirty seconds."

"You're a werewolf?" I was starting to wonder if all Quileutes were.

"Technically we're shapeshifters, but yeah. I turn into a big cuddly wolf."

"You weren't kidding when you said you're a dog," I laughed.

Quil gave a short shrug. "Vampires love wordplay."

I hadn't heard anything that true in a while. It was refreshing.

Dropping my gun, I motioned Edward over. Predictably, he came without a word. If I knew he behaved this well, I would have threatened him much earlier.

"Can you do anything about these bars?" I asked. He gave me an unreadable face; not even a blink.

"Bella, these cells are made to keep vamps in," Quil said. "It doesn't look like he's in any condition to try them. Even at full strength he couldn't dent these things."

"Then you better have a bright idea, otherwise I'm leaving you here." I wouldn't really; I was trying to save whoever I could, after all. But the smell was really starting to get to me.

Quil snapped to attention. "Someone should have a set of keys on 'em—not far from here. If not, they'll be in a cubbyhole behind a fake stone."

"I'll find them," Edward said, and promptly disappeared.

I huffed with annoyance. Keys, really? What kind of material could stop a vampire yet be easily unlocked with a key, anyway? I thought vamps could tear through anything.

"What happened to him?" asked Quil, leaning against the bars.

"What do you mean?"

"He's in bad shape. His eyes are dark and empty, his skin is drawn, he's agitated—not to mention his reaction time is off. When was the last time he fed? You realize it's dangerous if he loses too much blood, right?"

I shrugged. What did it matter? Edward was certainly old enough to take care of himself. If he didn't want to munch on someone, that was his problem. "Why do you care?" I snapped. Edward did lose a lot of blood recently, though. Was that dangerous?

"Vamps have to feed regularly to replenish the blood they no longer have. If they start running low, depending on what they do—like if they exert too much energy—their body will burn through the stored supply faster. It costs them to power their super strength and speed, you know. It's difficult on a vamp when they're low. They're not as fast or strong; the body doesn't have the required life force to fuel it all. And when it's all used up, the body gives out. Without blood, the vamp dies."

Suddenly Edward's attitude made sense. He hadn't eaten since we came down here, and after how many times he'd been injured—my shooting him included—it wasted more blood. He could hardly open the portrait. What would have happened if he tried to pry apart the bars? Would he have dropped there?

A sharp jingle sounded on my side, and I jumped. Edward reappeared with a set of keys. Great, we could finally get out of here. I wasn't going to ask how or where he found them; I just watched as he unlocked Quil's cell. Watching his movements, actually. He didn't move as fluidly as usual. And he did look tired, as if he would drop at any moment. Was Quil right? Would Edward die of starvation? How was it even possible for a corpse to die of starvation?

Edward continued down the hall towards the steel door as Quil pushed his cell door aside. He started with small steps, but soon he was limping toward what I guessed was Isolation. I walked with him, in case he needed someone to lean on. Behind us, the sound of gunfire was picking up. A new wave of enemies?

Edward tried other keys on the key ring until he found one that unlocked the steel door and pushed it open to reveal another corridor lined with metal doors. We entered the hall, slightly brighter than the last and with cleaner air. I could still hear gunfire from here, but as the door closed, I realized why they called it Isolation. It was soundproofed; an eerie emptiness and silence hung thick in the air. Unable to stand the silence, my ears rang with the sudden stillness. I tugged on my rig. This place was freaking me out already.

Edward didn't bother checking the rooms; he went to the end of the hall and pressed his ear to the left door. "He's in here."

"How do you know for sure?" I asked.

"This is the only cell with a heartbeat."

"It could be any human in there."

"He's repeating your name."

My heart skipped as Edward found the right key for the lock. What if the vamps really hurt Charlie? What if he was almost . . . no, Charlie was too strong. He had to be okay. The door scraped loudly against the floor as Edward shouldered it open. He made it halfway when Quil joined him, and together they opened it the rest of the way.

I stepped into the room, having trouble seeing in the darkness; the light from the hall only touched certain parts. It took my eyes a moment to adjust, and when they did, I saw Charlie sitting on a ratty cot in the far corner.

I nearly screamed with relief. "Dad!"

He looked up with surprise. "Bella?"

I ran toward the cot and hugged him gently, afraid of accidentally hurting him. I wasn't sure what they did to him down here. But Charlie didn't hold back. He crushed me to his chest with surprising strength. "You're okay," I whispered, my eyes burning with tears. "Oh my god, you're okay."

Charlie chuckled, leaning away but still not letting me go. "You didn't think a few vampires could hurt your old man, did you?"

I gave a weak laugh and pulled back one hand to wipe my eyes. No way. Charlie was too hardcore to be brought down by a few vamps. I should've known better. I released him, stepping back, when I noticed the dried blood on his forehead. "What happened?"

"Just a little hard medicine to shut me up for a while," he replied casually. "I'm fine."

I knew what that meant. I wouldn't prod him about it. "We have to get out of here before this place comes down. Can you stand?" I asked.

"I need a little help, but yeah."

Without being asked, Quil came forward and offered Charlie a hand up.

Charlie gave Quil his cop stare—the hard look that made him the big, bad police chief—before asking, "You Ateara's grandson?"

The surprise was clear on Quil's face. "Yes, sir. How did—?"

"Lucky guess," Charlie replied, and took Quil's hand. He stood with a weak groan. He didn't favor one foot over the other; that was a good sign. Besides his forehead, there were no apparent injuries.

As Quil helped Charlie to the door, he suddenly looked up to the figure standing in the doorway and swore.

Edward. A vampire.

"Looks like we have some trouble," Charlie muttered. He motioned to me, and I knew what he wanted. I held onto my guns.

Edward raised his hands slowly, standing perfectly still. He opened his mouth, but before he could possibly make the situation worse, I cut him off.

"He's not trouble, Dad. That's Edward, and he's been helping me since I came down here. Actually, his whole . . . family helped me. I asked him to help me rescue you." Edward and I might have been at each other's throats more than we helped each other, but he made good on his promise. Charlie was almost free. I had no problem taking this bullet.

Charlie didn't take his eyes off Edward, but the mood definitely changed. I expected disappointment from Charlie, but no. Instead, he did the opposite of what I expected. He snatched my pistol right out from under my arm, and before I could register the sound or movement, shot Edward in the chest. As Edward buckled in the doorway, I realized my ears were ringing and that I was shouting.

"Wait, Dad, wait! Don't!" I went to Edward, hoping Charlie hadn't just incapacitated him. Edward groaned, telling me he was still alive, but he was losing more blood. I kind of regretted shooting him earlier. If I had known there was a possibility of him dying from blood loss—something that seemed impossible for a vampire—I wouldn't have shot him. I knelt beside him, trying to find the entry wound. Did the bullet even exit? There was plenty of blood, which meant he wasn't healing like he should. Shit. "Are you okay, Edward?"

Charlie's menacing presence stood at my back. "What the fuck did you do to my baby girl?" he demanded. "Bella, get away from him!"

"Dad, let me explain. Please," I said with a sigh. Once again, I was defending the Cullens and making myself sound like a bloodwhore. I imagined Charlie felt a million times more disappointed than Sam and Jake had in Forks.

Charlie waited in silence as I tried to organize my thoughts. Where did the Cullen train-wreck begin? Maybe when I first woke up in their house. But I couldn't tell Charlie the truth about that—not yet.

I gave him the short version, recapping from when Eric came with the bad news, up until I met Aro. It was rushed, but Charlie seemed to follow easily enough. He wasn't happy—judging by the way he ground his teeth, he was seriously pissed—until I told him that Sam had taken enough precautions to safely interrogate and negotiate with vampires. He calmed down the slightest, his face returning to red instead of purple.

When I finished, he wasted no time in getting to the important part. "Did anyone think of a way to get out of here?"

Edward had recovered while I was filling Charlie in, and I had helped him sit up. Now he stood, pulling me with him. "That's Quil's part," Edward said. It was? I almost wanted to ask, but Quil talked about the Cullens like he knew them; he must have known Edward could read minds. They probably decided as we walked.

Charlie stared at Quil for a minute then said, "Ah, so then you must be a shifter too."

"You knew about them?" I asked incredulously.

He gave me a half smile. Not quite forgiven, but there was no way he could stay mad at his only daughter forever. "Sure, I've always known. Harry told me, and we've been using shifters since. Sam's pack has been a great help. Besides, why do you think I let Jacob come along? You needed a little more protection than bullets."

I gaped stupidly at him but he ignored me. His mind was on business as he turned back to Quil. "How exactly are you going to help us, Quil?"

Quil grinned. "I'm going to take you to safety, sir."

"And Bella?"

"I don't know how I'm getting out yet," I replied, "but Edward and I are going on to deal with Aro."

"Aro?"

"A vamp way past his expiration date. It's a long story, and I promise I'll tell you later. For now, I have some payback to deliver." I couldn't tell Charlie I was going to face the father of vampires. I left Aro out of the recap intentionally. The way Charlie's face looked scared me, but to tell him one of the oldest wanted to keep me as a pet? That wouldn't have gone over well.

It seemed that plans were settled, as no one objected. Charlie was getting out, and I was going in deeper. That was good. For once, things were working in my favor. Quil stepped around us to get out into the hall, claiming he needed room to shift. I watched him as he inhaled deeply, slowly letting it go, and then his body started the strange jerky movements that Jacob's had. His skin split in multiple places at once; that sickening bone-crunching noise happened as his body rearranged. This time I got to watch as he bent forward, morphing and growing into the shape of a wolf. The way his legs bowed, and how his face completely changed to form a snout. His transformation was smoother than Jake's and was over in nearly seconds. What stood in the hall now was a large wolf that resembled Jake's, except Quil's face was a lighter brown.

Before we could move, the wolf whimpered and winced as if he'd been hit. He crouched, paws swiping at his ears. Was there a dog whistle going off somewhere?

"What's wrong?" I asked before I could stop myself. It was a stupid question because he couldn't reply; he was a wolf.

"The other wolves are bothering him," Edward answered. "He's not used to voices in his head."

"What are you talking about?"

"The pack mind. I experienced it in Forks and not long ago with Jacob. They communicate through a telepathic bond when in wolf form."

"He's not part of the pack. At least, I don't think he is." To the wolf I asked, "Are you?" Embry wasn't part of the pack . . . that I knew of.

My only response was another whimper.

"Quil had been thinking about his destiny," Edward continued. "He knew it was painful to keep fighting it. I think this is what he meant. His grandfather wanted him to be an elder because of this. I searched some channels in the bond; apparently, in certain lines of the Quileute blood, this sync-up is instantaneous."

"Instant bond or not, tell them to knock it off!" I snapped. "We all need to get out of here."

Edward rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, because a pack of mongrels will listen to me," he said sarcastically. Charlie chambered another round in the pistol behind me as a threat.

Point to Edward Cullen. What was the official score now?

"We can't sit around here much longer," Charlie said, perfectly timed as a tremor passed under our feet. They had mostly stopped since I found Sam and Jake. What else did our guys need to blow up?

I squeezed out into the hallway—which seemed several times smaller with a giant wolf in it—to stand in front of Quil. His prone position made him the perfect height to see eye-to-eye; that is, if he would open them. Carefully, I placed my hand on the fine fur of his nose. He didn't snap, so I assumed it was safe to get closer.

The wolf cracked open an eye. "Are you in there, Quil?" I asked.

He whimpered and gave a huff.

"Jacob can hear you," Edward said. "He wants to know where you are."

Right then, I was kind of thankful for Edward's gift. I wasn't sure how Jake got Edward to cooperate, or if Edward was doing it to show he could be useful, but whatever they agreed on, it would help clear this situation a lot faster.

I wasn't sure who I should direct my reply to. How did this bond even work? Was Edward reading both Quil's and Jake's mind at once? "I'm standing in the dungeon with Charlie and Quil," I answered. "Where the fuck are you? You better not be fighting." Sam said he would be okay, but I wasn't so sure. Did Jacob realize how close he was to dying?

"He's sitting on the sidelines," Edward replied. Then, as if Jake had taken over Edward's body, he continued, "So Charlie's okay? Best damn news I heard all day. But wait, who's Quil? You mean Old Quil?"

"No, his grandson. I guess he's your new wolf. Anyway, he's going to get Charlie out of here, so stop doing whatever you're doing to him. You can figure this thing out when Charlie's safe, okay?"

"When we're all safe," Charlie grunted. "There's no use arguing with our allies when we're in danger."

"Did you hear that?" I asked the wolf with its too intelligent eyes. The question wasn't meant for him, but for the jackass on the other end.

"Sure, sure." Hearing Jake's favorite phrase come out of Edward's mouth was so strange it bordered disturbing. "We'll leave the runt alone . . . for now. Eventually he'll have to answer to Sam. Just stay where you are, I'm coming your way. I'll help Charlie and Quil get out; I know a quick route."

"Thanks, Jake," I said, resisting the urge to pat the wolf. Petting Jake was embarrassing enough; doing it to a stranger was a big no-no.

Jake didn't reply, or well, Edward didn't reply. Quil seemed to be back to normal, so the others must have left him alone. Was he still talking to Jake? Was he introducing himself? Sam had said three other wolves were running around, too. I couldn't imagine how Paul reacted.

Quil stayed crouched on the floor, and Charlie carefully moved past Edward, returning my pistol before climbing onto the mountain of fur. When he was settled between the wolf's shoulders, I asked, "Do you know what happened to your revolver?"

He shrugged. "It disappeared when I woke up from this." He touched his forehead. "I don't think it matters now. I have a giant wolf as a weapon. He doesn't have the range of a gun, but he seems pretty damn dangerous to me."

I shook my head, holstered my pistol, and pulled the Striker's sling over my head. "Take this with you. I haven't had the chance to shoot it, but it's full of incendiary ammo. I bet it shoots like a dream." Even I heard the wistful sigh in my voice.

Charlie stared at the shotgun for a second. "I can't take your weaponry, Bella. You need it."

It was my turn to shrug. "I still have the FAMAS, and if worse comes to worst, I've got a vampire."

"That's why I want you to keep it," he growled, eyeing Edward unhappily. "I don't know what's happened to make you protect a vampire—and I expect the full story once we're out of here—but I trust you. You seem to have the situation under control."

I rolled my eyes. _Under control? Sure. _"I'll be fine, Dad." I shoved the Striker into Charlie's hands, and he immediately slung it over his shoulder. "Oh, and if you see Embry before I do—if he asks—no, I'm not giving it back. Tell him the challenge is still on. Actually, if he wants either gun back, he has to find my corpse and pry them from my fingers."

"Hey, I'll have no dead talk from you, missy," he said sternly. It was meant to be a joke but I heard the concern behind it. Charlie reached down to ruffle my hair. "You get to the surface so I can return the Striker, and you can tell Embry yourself. You came this far to get me—doing something as stupid as trusting a vampire—but I always knew you were tough. I'm proud of you, Bells. We'll make it out alive, got it? I love you, kiddo. Be careful."

And with that, Charlie pressed himself flat against Quil as they moved toward the door. Edward opened the heavy steel door to reveal the sound of gunfire. Quil squeezed through, and I watched as they barreled down the hall, out of sight.

xx-xx-xx

**_Part two: Coming mid-April_**


End file.
